Tag: two-o-nine

How can I put into words how amazing this vacation was? How fantastic Brooke is? How much fun we have together? How, sometimes, life gives you just what you need when you need it?

Here goes nothin’.

(Side Note: Brooke sent me most of these pictures. My phone didn’t work in Canada and so I shut it off! And I suck at remembering to use my real camera to capture the moment. Sorry there’s a lot of just Melissa pics!)

I think I’m going to do this Bullet Point style:

  • After Brooke picked me up in Grand Forks, ND we crossed the border into Canada where the border patrol agent was very concerned about my potential for having any kind of weapon, particularly a pistol, mace or pepper spray. After we told her I was clean and that we’d met through an online running club, we were off! I learned so much from Brooke this trip. The theme: The more you know! She knows a lot about Winnipeg, the city and its history. I’m going to have to step up my game when she comes here for the 4th of July!!
  • We went grocery shopping. There was discussion about names of foods. Smokies being one of them. We call those lil’ smokies. Like cocktail wieners. In Canada they are not the same. Not at all. Ask Brooke.
  • Brooke has a Marathon training schedule to keep, so we ran. I’ve never had a running partner before. The right one is key. Brooke is the perfect running partner for me. It’s a bummer that she’s 10 hours away from me. I jumped for joy after completing the run. 
  • Saturday I showed Brooke how awesome of a sleeper I am, and slept 13 hours! Whoops! I think getting up at 4am the previous morning caught up with me! 
  • We went to this area called the Forks (where 2 rivers meet). It was windy. I have long hair. This may be my new favorite picture.
  • Brooke got us Shwings for the race! They did not help me for my race. 
  • It rained the whole time!! Seriously, I was ready to build an ark. By the end of the race where it was cold (54 degrees) and rainy, my lips were BLUE! Brooke was concerned. I would be toast if I lived in the Frozen North. Random thing I noticed: the rain made the city smell like fish. It distracted me along the way. I needed it. This race sucked for me. 2:42 and some change. Blech.
  • Brooke and I went shopping on Saturday. I had to try on a real Canadian toque and matching mittens.
  • I snuggled with Russell the dog. He’s so sweet!! We watched movies: Pitch Perfect, Never Been Kissed, And The Holiday. Perfect Vacation was Perfect. We watched The Bachelorette together. We had a plan for a drinking game (with Jr. Mints) that every time Andi said “Stttaaahhhppp” we would eat a mint. We got to eat one mint. We may have eaten more later. I will neither confirm nor deny that.
  • Monday was all about active recovery. We went to Birds Hill Park and walked the loop with a 10 pack of Tim Horton’s Tim Bits (mini donuts!) That’s about a 3.5ish mile walk. It was a gorgeous day! If the winds had died down and the Sun would have stayed out we were going to lay out on the beach. Alas, no dice.
  • Brooke, Andrew and I went 5 pin bowling. I’ve only ever been 10 pin bowling before. You’re reading that score right, I’m sister Wife #2. And I beat Brooke. Whoops! 🙂 I’m a bad house guest! 
  • We ate Poutine!! This delicacy consists of fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. It was fun to try, but not my favorite thing.

Things of note: After the initial shock wore off of turning off my phone, I really enjoyed being unavailable and off the grid. I borrowed her laptop to use facebook and email, but otherwise, I stayed away. It. was. amazing.

Also, we didn’t feel the need to blog. Yes, we met over our blogs, yes, they are a big part of our lives. But we just lived in the moment. And it was fantastic. 

All in all, how do you recap a vacation that was perfect? How can I find the words to tell you how much fun we had? I can only write this and hope it does it justice!

Perfect vacation was perfect.

Tumblr will only let me upload 10 pictures, so prepare for more photo spam!

This trip has been absolute perfection.

two-o-nine (Brooke) and I ran a bunch of miles together (20.1) to be exact. We walked around a gorgeous park and lake. We shopped, we laughed till our bellies ached. We drove hundreds of miles, we watched movies, we finished each others sentences, we went 5 pin bowling, we ate poutine and froyo. There were kisses and snuggles from the sweetest Boston Terrier named Russell.

And so much more.

I’m about to begin my trip home. Grand Forks to MSP with a super long layover before I get home to Nebraska late late tonight.

There will be a much longer post. But, suffice it to say, this trip was amazing. Brooke is amazing. (and so is Andrew! Sister wives for life!)

Perfect vacation was perfect.

This day is dragging. DRAGGING I tell you!

All day I’ve had this song in my head. I am so ready for some R & R (and another Half Marathon!) in Canada with Brooke! I’ve checked into my flight. My bags are packed, and ready to go. It’s time to get off the grid for a few days. I’m ready to go. 

In other news:

  • The irony is not lost on me that today marks a little over 6 weeks since the Lincoln Half Marathon. As of today I am FINALLY down the 5 pounds I gained that day. Cute body, real cute. Sigh.
  • I had to pack a jacket for this trip! What is happening? It’s June! I’m so confused. I asked Brooke if it was going to be warm. She asked me to define warm. I said 80’s, she laughed and said 70’s was warm, 80’s was hot! 
  • I am a horrible over-packer. I think I need to re-evaluate tonight and see what I can live without because my carry-on is heavy and I don’t want to have to check it.
  • I went on a lovely 6 mile bike ride through some of the trails near my house last night. I also live by this neighborhood called “Piedmont”–literal translation: foothills. It was hilly and I was feeling it! But it has beautiful homes and lovely manicured lawns and I wanted to ride through that slice of the American Dream. No complaints here.

Have a great Thursday friends!

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

5 Positive Things I Like About Myself

I was tagged by Ryan and I like lists so here goes nothing!

  1. I am a good listener. From people that I’ve just met to friends that I’ve known forever, they all tell me their deepest secrets and feelings. I like to think I can empathize and sympathize with them. I also try to listen with the intent to hear, not reply. There’s a big difference.
  2. I’m funny. My friends say I’m the funny one! I’m always quick with a joke to lighten the mood. Days are better spent laughing.
  3. I’m observant. I notice the details of things that most people miss. The hidden melodies in songs, the small details in pictures, things like that.
  4. I’m kind, caring and compassionate. I worry about my friends and family.
  5. I’m organized and punctual. You can’t do daily newscasts if you’re not! 🙂

I’m tagging Lindsay, Erin, Holli, Victoria & Brooke

Scenes from my Saturday.

I hit the Lincoln Marathon Expo and picked up my bib and my friend Wesley’s (he’s driving in from Kansas City and stay with me tonight.) I proceeded to spend way too much at the Expo! The shirt on the left is the Official Shirt everyone got. Very patriotic here in Lincoln this year. Brooke suggested that I wear it for the Half she, Ginni, Holli, and I are doing in Brownville, Nebraska on the 4th of July! Good call, lady.

I saw the 2nd photo while driving home from the errands I ran after the expo this morning. David needs to get personalized plates like that for his car! Everyone should know it’s actually BOO’s car! 🙂

I went to Omaha last night for the Benson neighborhood’s first Friday open houses/gallery walks. My BFF, her husband, 2 other friends AND Ex Man Friend and I did dinner and hung out for awhile. (Yes, ex man friend and I are talking/friends. Or something. That relationship is very, very, very, very complicated.) I bought the shirt in the 3rd photo at a vintage store. I couldn’t pass it up–even though it’s a man’s shirt! 🙂

Got my bib for the Marathon! Easy number to remember! I’m pumped. 

And the last pic…I always like what phrases they have on the pacer bracelets. I’m aiming for a sub 2:25 PR. 

See ya after the race friends!

11 miles done. On the treadmill, no less.

Thoughts from the run:

  • sushi is a GREAT pre-run meal for me! Seriously. Lunch with my bestie fueled a pretty decent run. Huh. Interesting.
  • I watched TV while I ran. This NEVER happens. Usually I just zone and listen to music. This time I watched Castle and Mixology. It helped get my mind of the distance on the treadmill. That was nice.
  • It was 40 degrees here, sunny and not windy. And yet I ran inside. I just wasn’t sure it was warm enough for me outside. I’m a wimp. Brooke is not. Let’s just get that out here in the open.
  • I look like a hot mess post-run. I decided not to shower again, then my friend Keith called and we got pizza and froyo. I showered for his sake. The pizza was amazing and so earned on that run. I REGRET NOTHING!
  • It may snow tomorrow, but back into the 60’s by Wednesday. Gotta love Nebraska weather. 66 by Next Sunday so I plan on 12 miles outside then. 
  • I’m currently watching Creighton (from Omaha, NE) self destruct against Baylor. That’s a bummer. March Madness indeed.
  • I made $50 in tips this weekend at Corky! Whoo-Hoo!
  • This week is busy, busy too! 
  • The date went well! 😉

Hope you have a wonderful week ahead friends!

Happy Tuesday Friends!

  • I’m in a good mood, despite have a massive case of the DOMS. If it’s possible to be even more sore 2 days after running 10 miles, I am. My hamstrings and lower back and even my shins hurt. But they’re not shin splints.
  • With that said, running outside is soooooo different than running on a treadmill. My body was confused for about a 10th of a mile. Then boom, it was good. Just have to push through.
  • This frozen pizza experience happened last night. Chicago pizza is amazing. They now have it frozen at my grocery store. This is a once in awhile kind of thing. Holy crap. So yummy. Now I really want to go back to Chicago!
  • Look at the present Brooke sent me for my birthday! The big day is Sunday, but this came yesterday. Warm wishes for my run! That Brooke is a gem.
  • Life is truly random sometimes, isn’t it? It’s funny how things work.

Hope you have a great day friends!

This has been a good day

It had a rather suspect start:

  • When my alarm went off, I was sleeping with my arms folded over my head. They had fallen asleep. The alarm starts ringing. I begin flailing my dead arms around, trying to get control to hit the snooze. I finally manage to knock the alarm to the floor, where the ground caused the snooze to engage. Oof.
  • Ginni, Brooke, Holli, and Becky and I are doing the Brownville, Nebraska Half Marathon on July 4th. You should too. It’s cheap, ($25) and a holiday meet up in Nebraska will be great! Come see us!!!!!!
  • I went to the nearby Jimmy John’s for lunch, and to buy Gift Certificates for the Station’s Holiday Party. 2 of the guys who work there love all of us girls from the station. Today they both just stopped talking and starred at me while I was explaining what I needed. I asked what was wrong, and he said he was lost in my smile! And then he said I needed to come in there everyday and just smile at them. Then he told me that I was fine and should be on the news, because then he would actually watch it! Totally made my day! I told them if I was having a bad day I would come in there! Then he told me how much liked my coat (it’s bright red and belts around my waist) and kept miming the hour glass shape with his hands. They said they were just talking about how women should always wear red, and how it looks good on all of us. I was in a FANTASTIC Mood when I left!
  • I also feel like I’m having a good hair day. See below.

  • I’m going to run 4 miles after work tonight. I feel good about this. I am getting into my training mode and I love it.
  • I am so excited for my friends to come to Nebraska this summer! Can’t wait to meet Ginni, see Brooke and Becky and whoever else is coming too! So very excited!
  • Happy hump day friends!!!

My day in some pictures:

Top left: My Chromebook came! My Chromebook came! I’m going to unpack that bad boy tonight. Hurray! Can’t wait.

Top Right: My vacation time has been approved for The Manitoba Marathon in June! I get to go see Brooke!!! I’m so freakin’ excited! My first international race!

Bottom Left: I made a lot of Banana Nut Bread in the past few days! I made this picture on Saturday and then I made 4 more loaves last night! I had bananas that were ready. This is the best banana nut bread I’ve ever had! Seriously. Funny thing? It’s Ex Man Friend’s Mom’s recipe. He gave it to me the other day after I tried it on New Year’s Eve. So very good. He told me not to tell his mom that he gave away the Family Legacy! 🙂

Bottom Right: I brought a loaf to work today. It has nearly been demolished. I love feeding my (work) family.

Happy Hump day friends! Mine is pretty great so far! Despite the fact that its been snowing since sometime overnight!