Week 4: Joy to the Run

SO many things this week.  Christmas.  16th wedding anniversary.  Helping customers with their storm damage.  My heart is super full and grateful right now.  Lots of pictures ahead, have fun!

Monday: Snowman Run.  Since I didn't get my back to backs done on Sunday, I was up for a speed sesh on Monday.  Boom and I are really enjoying the snowman runs and are going to try to keep them in our routines post this month.  It was a full moon and boom was full of pull.  

Tuesday: Strength training.  I debated between walking and strength and decided since I kind of skipped strength last week that I needed to do it this week.  Dimnity had posted a new routine and it looked like fun, so we tried it and didn't die!  I will admit, I did have to take a few breaks, but we got it done and it was a great butt burner.  

So love this dress!  Found it on a sale rack as I was walking out of the store and fell in love.

Wednesday: Rest day#1  Covid booster and Covid shot #1 for Andrew.  Let's just say I should have never told him we were doing this in advance because he has been completely freaked out about it for over a month now.  He has at times literally made himself sick to his stomach.  He has been through every emotion about it from total freak out to wanting to be protected.  Tony went with us and he sat on Tony's lap and talked to me.  He didn't even know she had given him the shot as he was just jabbering away to me.

He's had me take a million photos, as he is so proud. I am so glad he is able to get a shot now for Covid and the first one has had little to no side effects.  I was able to get my booster and I felt like I was hit like a mack truck with fever, chills, and aches and pains, but I knew it was coming and planned accordingly.  I was able to hold it together long enough for dinner with the hubby to celebrate out 16th wedding anniversary at Bourbon and Baker.  

Thursday:  Rest day #2.  I knew this was coming but I was hoping it wouldn't.  I woke up feeling like dog crap and the feeling stayed all day.  I was achy, tired, feverish, and just had no energy.  I binge watched The Flight Attendant.  Hubby brought me home flowers to cheer me up and I ran Coleman Electric from my bed. 

Friday:  Christmas Eve.  I felt much better, so work and a short run was in the cards.  Worked till noon and went to lunch at our favorite country store in St. Marys, Sugar Creek.  They do this amazing gingerbread house competition every year and we had to go see them before Christmas.  Here are just a few of them because they are simply stunning!

This one won 1st place this year!  Can you see the little wizard?

A chicken coop!

After a quick lunch we headed back to Wamego and got ready for a run.  I honestly didn't know what my body might have in it, but I figured I would get what I could and head back or have my hubby pick me up when I petered out.  Rockin Robin was up for whatever, so we headed out for a hot buns run.  

Yes, I still have fourth of July decorations up.  We got 4 miles in with our squats, lunges, and jumping jacks.  Hot buns run is a favorite of mine, even if Stella tries to kill boom every time we stop.  

Saturday:  Christmas day!  Okay every year I think I write this but here is a huge dose of my honesty about this holiday.  I am not sure why Christmas day gives me such anxiety, but it does.  We don't really have a ton of traditions, sometimes family comes up and sometimes they don't.  We go with the flow, we don't have matching pajamas, and we have different types of meals every year.  I am honestly okay with the flexibility of this. Something about knowing my son, who always has a ton of "stuff" is getting more "stuff" sends me into a little tail spin, and I am the one who buys the STUFF, so all fingers pointed back at me. Now that he has gotten older, it's mainly clothes and Lego sets he gets, but the thought of having to find places for "stuff" really starts me into an anxious mess.  We don't have an attic or any type of storage space, and even though his room is huge, we don't have a great way to store stuff there either, so most of his hot wheels/Thomas stuff/Legos are in tubs or boxes along the wall.

 

Post watching him tear into presents, I immediately had to clean the house.  I know, I am weird.  I had to bag up all the wrapping paper and get the boxes to recycling.  I then had to wash all of his clothes and put everything away or hang up.  Of course when I went to put things away, his room was a mess again, so I had to clean his room which then lead to me cleaning my room.  While my family spent family time, I was upstairs vacuuming, sorting clothes, and dusting.  I wish I could shut this OCD off in my brain, but I honestly couldn't rest till I had everything cleaned, sorted, and put in it's place.  I am very happy to say that this year we really toned it down with presents and it surprisingly went over well.

  

He got one thing from Santa (his hoverboard with cart kit, so he can sit on it and ride instead of stand) and then he got most of his wrapped presents from Tony and I. A majority of his presents were clothing (he is in a men's small now, wahhhhh), with 2 Lego sets, and some new watercolor markers.  Much less than normal.  Mom got him mainly clothes and he loved everything she got him.  

Hubby got a huge bottle of Gentleman's Jack from Andrew and I, and a gift card from my mom, and I got a gift card to the running company from my mom and a gift card to my local hairdresser  to get my hair cut and colored however I might want.  All very useful gifts this year.  Just wish I could get rid of the weird anxiety that hits me every year, so I could just sit, relax, and enjoy. 

My goal was to get out and get a 5K done before we had Christmas dinner/late lunch.  I had hoped Andrew could ride his little board while Boom and I followed along.  Unfortunately the dang thing died when we were about 5 minutes  into the run, so I had to pull him back to the car and head back to the house.  I will admit, it was a good strength training session and boom even tried to pull him.  

I dumped the kid and the board off and headed out with both dogs to get a Christmas 5K.  

We weren't in shorts and a t shirt like the day before, but I was still dripping sweat in DECEMBER!  

We had decided instead of tony slaving away for two days on the traditional foods and then me having to clean the mess and once again become a hot mess trying to figure out where to put all the leftovers, we would try something different.  We have a local Wagyu beef  farm that just opened up a store front and Tony decided grilling these amazing steaks would be our alternative. Plus, the weather was very conducive to grilling!  Let me tell you if you haven't had a chance to try Wagyu beef DO IT!  The meat is worth every penny!  One of our clients had brought us twice baked potatoes as a thank you that went along great with fresh green beans and locally made rolls.  It was an amazing meal and no leftovers were had!!!!  For desert we had pie from the Friendship house that was chocolate cream and to die for. We sipped gentlemen's jack and diet coke and played cards till bed.  Other than my OCD kicking it, I think Christmas 2021 was a success.

Sunday:  Long run day.  Was planning on 6 but in the end got 7.  No eagles just 2 very big hawks.  I overdressed and really could have ditched my vest, but I needed it for storage.  Fueled with peppermint patties from my stocking LOL!  Felt great other than sweating profusely.  

Christmas week is a wrap!  Glad that everything went smoothly minus my weird OCD/anxiety.  Another year of believing for Andrew even though he asked a ton of questions this year and started to point out some obvious truths.  I just hope we can make it a few more years before he learns the real truth.  I think he must have watched videos or talked to his friends and had some non believing friends this year, so the seed has been planted.    Next week will be a travel week, so not sure what I will get done on my Joy to the Run, but it's been a fun challenge to attempt and I am glad I tried it!  I see why AMR programs are so fun and engaging and there is nothing more satisfying than checking off boxes.  Have a great week y'all!