What a Weekend!!!

Yes, it was quite a weekend. My husband was home for most of it which is always nice. We stayed in a kept warm on Friday night, so Saturday afternoon we took a little time for a "date". It was nice to be out with just my man! We hit Applebee's for lunch (yummy) and then a quick trip into Walmart (it's never that quick) and then we went to a movie. We saw the new Ashton Kutcher flick called "No Strings Attached" and it was really good! Ashton's such a hottie, and Natalie Portman is amazingly beautiful!!! So we laughed and held hands and it was really nice. The roads got pretty bad so we went home after that and watched tv and snuggled a little and basically had a relaxing afternoon at home!!! Thankfully he also snowblowed out the driveway after the snow stopped!!! It was pretty thick out there!

So this morning he left before the sun came up and it was just a nice Sunday with me and the kids. We went to church, lunch like always at BWW's, quick trip to the grocery store for a couple things and then football! I put my workout clothes on while I did laundry so I wouldn't have an excuse not to hit the gym later and that really helped me stay focused. Three loads of laundry are (almost) done and we're ready for another week! Worked out for almost two hours (that might hurt tomorrow!) and feel awesome! I lifted weights, pushed out 30 minutes on the Arc trainer and then ran a mile after that! Not to mention the 10 minutes of ab work I did... that might hurt a little tomorrow! I'm feeling good about it though, and I think I'll be ready to start training for my race in a few weeks!!! Still can't believe I'm doing this... I must be nuts!

My younger son (he's 11) has very very blonde hair which he likes to dye different colors sometimes. His friends were saying to him that he should dye it blue again.. and of course we have plenty of hair dye left... so we dyed it! Just little blue streaks like highlights this time. Usually we do his whole head, so this is different... and I like it! He's such a little rock star, very different fashion sense than most of the sixth graders I know and a big risk taker also. So now, he's a blond, with blue streaks! Very cool!!! (He won't let me take a pic! But if I get one, I'll try to post it soon.) Wish I could pull off some hot pink highlights.. not sure I'm there yet, but maybe I'll have to give it a try sometime!

Today is also kind of a strange day. One year ago today, I lost a friend to breast cancer. A whole year. Doesn't seem possible! She has missed a year in the life of her children, a year of sunrises and sunsets, a year of sunshine and thunderstorms and snowfalls... so much happens in a year. She was a college friend and sister in our music fraternity. At her funeral last year those of us who had gathered to celebrate her life promised in her honor to get together more often so that we would not just be meeting at funerals for the rest of our lives! We are holding to that promise. Next Saturday a bunch of us (whoever can make it) are meeting for the day at a friend's parent's cottage to play and eat and do silly things together.. just for a day.. a day to remember and celebrate that we are friends and sisters. A day Laura would have loved. Because we loved her. And we miss her. She never saw her 40th birthday. Part of my turning into a runner is to honor her. I want to live for her and run for her and let people know that there was this awesome friend and sister and Mom that died of this terrible disease.. but also that she lived. She lived life to the fullest and I know that running is my way of living. She would be proud of me. When I run I often think of her, and I smile. Because she would have smiled. She would have encouraged me to keep going, no matter what.. just keep going. So I'll run. I'll run for myself, and my kids, and my dear friend. She's singing with the angels now. Praises have never sounded sweeter. We miss you, sweet Laura.

I'm going to finish the laundry, finish watching the football game, and read a book. Right now I'm reading "The Friday Night Knitting Club" and am enjoying it! I'll tell you what I think when I'm finished... I should practice my guitar, but I probably won't... still slacking there, but it's the weekend after all, and I need to chill out before another long week begins!

Happy weekend!!!!