Vacation! (All I Ever Wanted!)...

I'm going on vacation!!!

food, wine, fun!

I don't get out much. And aside from that, The furthest down the coast I've been is South Carolina (which I absolutely love, and when I'm rich I'll have a winter home in Charleston). Sure, I'm lucky to have a sister in Virginia Beach, so I get to travel there every year with free room and board, and stay a mile from the beach, and I'm very thankful for that.

But guess what else I have? One of my longest friends that lives in Orlando, FL...and not only that...she WORKS FOR DISNEY!!! Cue the magic!

What have I been waiting for???

This October, I will fly to sunny Florida for the food and wine festival at Disney, where I will partake in foods, wine, music, girl time,  and the magic of DISNEY!! I'm not ashamed to say that at 38 I'm probably more excited about going to Disney than most kids are!

I get entrance to Disney...FOR FREE! We are getting a suite at the hotel for the wine festival...FOR FREE! I get to go to the Animal Kingdom...FOR FREE! (animals!!! eek!)  And guess what else? She's taking me on an hour road trip to Vero Beach so that I can experience the pretty side of Florida!

I mean, we even already have dinner reservations at an Epcot restaurant...it must be good!

I had a really hard time deciding to take this trip since my #1 goal this year has been saving money, and paying off my credit debt so that I can buy a house next year...but then I decided that I freaking deserve it, its cheaper than going to see my sister, and honestly... once I buy a house, I'll have even more reasons not to take a vacation.

Watch out, Florida...here I come!

The Time is Near...

I haven't taken a weeks vacation in a couple of years. I've had long weekends, days here and there, but an entire week without the stresses of work? 

I think I hear angels singing! 

I'm not worrying about my half marathon, vacation is about relaxing! It's my third, and I don't have to break any records! I bought a cute new outfit, and a cooling cloth, so I'm good to go! The temp may be predicted as 87 on my race day, but I'll be finished before high noon, so who cares! I just remind myself that I did my first half at a heat index of 105...I'm hoping the ocean breeze will come into play!

My sister lives a mere 1.3 miles from the beach. That's full of awesome!! 

I will have an entire week of R&R. Lounging in the pool,  sweating it out at the beach. Having lots of sister time, and laughing is my #1 priority.

We will also get to take in a few great bands (we haven't decided which ones yet) that will be set up on the beach since it is the Rock n' Roll half marathon, after all! 

The only downside is that to avoid baggage fees, I'm checking a carry on size bag and taking a carry on. The stress of only taking what I need is really getting to me. Plus, I don't have room to steal things I really like from my Sister's house, which is kind of a tradition in our family.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend! I know that I will!

Pre-Race Jitters? I Got This...

I'm not the least bit worried about my upcoming half marathon in Virginia Beach in 16 days.

But that kind of worries me.

I haven't been putting miles in like I should be.

Especially outdoor miles.

But this ain't my first rodeo, it's my third. 

But what I'm doing differently this time is I'm more cross-trained. I do my boot camps, and my short runs (ok, mostly indoors...) but I'm not following a training schedule like I did with my last two half's.

People are trying to scare me. Trying to psyche me out.  Asking me all sorts of questions about being ready because I haven't been doing all the miles.

I have come to dismiss these people's worries because they have never run a half marathon before.

I mean, where is their licence in running? I know what to expect. I know it's hard. I know it will be painful.

But then, I have never been in business to be the fastest, my enjoyment of running a half comes from running the 13.1 consecutive miles and finishing.

It's about the experience of the race, the enjoyment of every mile run, and the (cute and sparkly starfish) medal I receive at the end.

In closing, don't let other people squash your dreams. No one knows your potential but you. People who could never accomplish what you can, will try to psyche you out.

Prove them wrong.

Press on.

Live your dream, and enjoy the feeling you have when you finally accomplish your goal!

For me, in the end...I get to spend a week with my sister, having quality time, and enjoying the sand and sun... and my running a half marathon is just the icing on the cake!

Way Up North...

Imagine the horror...traveling 6 1/2 hours, and the last few miles are all dirt roads. I was cut off from the world! No cell phone! No internet! No facebook!!!

 

Dirt road...cell phones? No can do!

 

 

 

Woods...

 

 

I made a zen rock stack at Lake Michigan...I love this pic!

 

 

 

I had a great mini vacation with my girlfriend! We stayed with her Momma deep in the north woods. Where the only roads for miles are dirt ones...and they have more snowmobile roads than car roads. It was peaceful, and fun, and fabulous! She fed us so much that I think it'll take 2 weeks to work off all the food!

 

 

We had a ton of laughs, and I'm lucky to have a friend I enjoy the company of for so long! Great road trip!

 

Our flip flops are in the tree...

 

 

We visited the shoe tree...it was a great attraction. We threw our flip flops up there, and wrote our names and the date....

 

I had to have this sign to hang on my wall, because when I read it...it made me cry. To me, it's just what a girl wants! My girlfriends mom said "honey, no one is ever going to read all that". But I know what it says, and I love it!

We played games, learned great recipes, sat by the fire, watched the birds and squirrels on the deck, shopped, watched the walking dead (yes! her Mom loves it too!!) and a scarey movie, laughed so much, and most of all, had a great time!