Thankful for Mush

I'm sure you've heard me say that I'm not into mushy, romantical stuff, but that's not entirely true. When I was little, I watched Beauty and the Beast so many times that I can still recite the entire movie (along with just about all the other Disney movies). I was so enchanted by Belle and loved that she spoke French, dreamed of faraway places, and had the most fantastic library. When I was a little older, I watched Romeo and Juliet (new and old) over and over. The way they spoke of love had me completely smitten. When a boy gave me a ring like the one in the movie, I was over the moon. Disney and Shakespeare ignited a love for beauty in me. I became obsessed with words and stories and poetry (which also created a grammar nazi, sorry). A book I am reading now has shown me a world where love and beauty are taken away, and I have been reminded of the importance of both.

When I got older, reality set in, and I began to live in the real world. There is only worry in the real world--usually worry about what people think. I ususally get lost in what people think of me now, instead of being uber-confident in myself like I was when I was younger. Recently, I found myself petrified in a parent meeting at school. I sweated and shook the entire time I was in the meeting. As long as I do my best with the child, the parents' opinions shouldn't matter. Our lives are special and beautiful, and we should be completely confindent in who we are. We may do silly things, but that makes us fantastic. I have a fairy tale life, and I should be so thankful every second for what I have instead of worrying about things that don't matter. I have the most wonderful husband, family, and friends. I get to paint my nails many different colors and wear cute clothes. I get to ride my bike in beautiful places with fantastic people. I get to enjoy poetry, books, and music. We should be proud of our story and what is being written. We are all so unique and beautiful, with lives full of possibilities. Enjoy and own it! I am thankful that there is only One who judges me, but He also loves me and has created me in His image. 'Tis better to have had word vomit on a first date, accidentally spit on someone on a bike ride, and sweated through a parent meeting, than to have never lived at all. :)

 

'When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.' -Keats, "Ode on a Grecian Urn" You are AWESOME! Click here if you need a reminder. http://youtu.be/-DIETlxquzY 'So as long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.' -Shakespeare

Watch your step! Labor Day Adventure

I have quite a bit of homework to do right now, but I'll save that for tomorrow night and give you a peek into our Labor Day weekend. First, DO THIS WORKOUT, and then let me know if you can walk the next morning. I have been in need of a wheelchair since Friday morning. My butt hurts so bad! PopSugar and Pinterest need to put warnings on their workouts. Saturday morning, we rode about 50 miles with a good bit of hills, and I didn't know if my legs would let me make it back to the car. After that, Josh walked and I hobbled around REI, Shane Co., and Opry Mills, and watched some college football (YAY!!) at BWW. I love wings, wings don't reciprocate. Josh and I didn't move off of the couch Sunday. IT WAS FANTASTIC. We did take Mak to the dog park for a while. He took over the pool and chased some birds. Doggy Heaven. Today, we woke up early, loaded into Cam's Jeep, and made our way to Lost Creek Cave. Crazy, beautiful experience.

We don't have too many pictures considering how dark it was, but here are a few. Felt like "Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, Dodge" were appropriate instructions today. It was pretty awesome how large some of the cave rooms were and how tiny others were. I found that I can maneuver my body through small pathways that didn't look nearly wide enough. I realized that climbing down muddy rocks is actually much easier than climbing up them. I also learned that my butt is a wonderful tool, and I will never take it for granted again. <Cue Sir Mix-A-Lot> Being way underground with little light and little knowledge of my surroundings made me a little nervous, but I know I will have nightmares tonight. Not from the actual cave, but from Cameron's and Kyle's crazy Gollum/Monkey run. There is nothing like crouching in a low cave and someone running toward you full speed like that. CREEPY. The whole trip was worth it. I haven't ever done anything like this, but I would definitely do it again.

 

On a different note, many of you may stop reading my blog after this, but I need to make a confession. Although I love movies very much, there are two that I have extreme DISLIKE for: The Never Ending Story (I would beg my teachers in school to let me help them instead of watching this movie) and Jurassic Park(s). UGH! Luckily, Josh seems to only like the latter. That little girl in Jurassic Park is so annoying, and I hate it when the goat gets eaten. What crazy movies. I have several crazy movies going through my head because of today (Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes, Dodgeball, Descent--THANKS KYLE). There will be lots of prayer and meditation before bed tonight. Thinks happy thoughts, Karah...daisies, rainbows, bouquets of sharpened pencils. :)

 

Thanks, Ryan.



 

Recap--The Lightning Round

Don't have much time, but I thought you'd like to know what's been going on. Ready? GO!

1. Been working in my classroom for the last week and it's just about ready. We go back in the morning for meetings and then for open house tomorrow afternoon. I am excited to meet my new bunch of darlings! I know that each one is placed in my class for a reason, and I pray that I can teach them what they need to know this year--academically, and how to be good people. This year is going to be great! I have a wonderful team, including the most fabulous teacher and friend--Bri! We are going to rock it this year as co-teachers! We've got great new teammates in Hollie and Michelle, plus the pros (MM, LAO, TW, and CG). We will be missing April though! However excited I am to get started, my love of sleeping in will make me miss summer so much.

2. I kicked some MOUSE-tail last weekend! Marsha and I drove to Mousetail Challenge, got a little lost, got behind a horse and buggy, and prepared to face the hardest trail we encountered last year. I went there knowing I would do better than last year, but was still haunted by the memories of busted up legs and crying my eyes out on the pre-ride. And this year we had to do TWO LAPS!! AHHH!! That's 16 miles of climbing, rocks, and torture! I had a good start, pondered quitting about halfway through the first lap, then realized I had done my first lap in under an hour. I was pretty pumped and worked very hard on my second lap. Managed to get 2nd place, blow my last year's time out of the water, and left without any injury (no crashes!). Marsha and I realized that there is no reason we should have ever done that race last year! That trail is crazy technical, and I don't know how we survived. Must have been a MTB miracle.

3. Spent the weekend on my MounTain Bike. Yesterday, I had a fun time on the gravel grinder in Hickman County with Lindsay and Bryan. We rode through lots of creeks, saw a waterfall, and did a little climbing. My dumb blonde self failed to look down and check what gear I was in, so I big-ringed most of the climbs. Pretty soon I will have man legs.

Today we pre-rode Montgomery Bell for the race next weekend. I feel like I know the trail pretty well since we were there all winter being that it's the only place to ride when it's wet. I love the trail except for one section--TOMMY'S REVENGE! dum, dum, dum! I have been deathly afraid of riding down the hill to the bridge. I just know that I'm going to fly off the side of it and crash into the ravine. I still didn't do it today on the pre-ride. I figure it will be a race day feat. I'm coming for you, Tommy!

4. For those of you who are concerned, yes, I did purchase some running shoes yesterday. No, I am not becoming a triathlete. My other running shoes seriously rub my feet when I take the dog for a run. Josh thinks he is going to turn me and that this is the first step. However, it was just a ploy to add to my fabulous shoe collection and they're totally cute!

Alright, so if you're going back to school tomorrow or not (cough-SumnerCo.) or just going to work, I hope you have a fabulous Monday. If you start getting "a case of the Mondays," picture me like this.

I hope big-ringing it won't do this to me.

Brain Break

Some of you might know that I began my Master's in Special Education last week. So far, it has been overwhelming, frustrating, and enlightening. I am enjoying my cohort and learning so much. However, you don't know what this is doing to me. IT IS EXHAUSTING to learn about Special Ed. Exhibit A: What I looked like this morning...

Look! The hair is down, I have on make-up, and I look pretty well put together.

THEN

Exhibit B: This is what I looked like after my 8-5 class...

The hair is back and disheveled. I'm glistening with sweat, wrinkled, and tried. It's crazy what sitting in a chair for 8 hours can do to a girl!

I have been fuctioning on extreme amounts of caffeine and snack food. I even neglected my bike last week. <GASP!> I know, can't believe it either. So, I am taking a brain break to talk to you. Let's think of peaceful things that do not involve students with learning disabilities and the uneducated professionals who work with them. Let's think of places where everyone does what they are supposed to and is nice to everyone else. Lots of unicorns and rainbows are in order.

This may not have a rainbow, but it is a nice part of my day. This is the courtyard outside of the building I am in ALL DAY LONG. Pretty, huh? There's a fountain and everything.

Alright, one unicorn picture, and I'm going to get started on the hours of homework I have ahead of me. Think of me when you're on your bike or watching Big Brother.:)

Thankful for Three - Post MTB Race Edition (WARNING RATED PG)

Well, we're home. We're tired. And I'm very thankful for a couple of things that are helping me recover from the Stanky Creek XC. IT WAS HOT today in Memphis. So hot that I probably should have stopped on the side of the trail every 5 miles to reapply chamois cream. Ahh, the chafing. TMI? Just wait. The first two things I'm thankful for directly relate to my bum. <Hehehe>

1. BAG BALM! Thanks to Marsha's excellent recommendation, this salve has been a post-ride staple all summer.

2.Victoria's Secret Pink Cotton Boyshort. You definitely do not want to be Ms. FancyPant(ie)s after being on a bike saddle for two hours on a super rooty trail. They are also on sale! I may have to by a couple more pair.

Great pic, Kelly!



3. My friends! The best part of riding my bike is riding with awesome people! Last week, I went for a road ride all by my lonesome. It sucked. Period. I love being on my bike, but it is so much better to have people around you that motivate, challenge, and care about you. I love seeing people at races, racing with my teammates, and riding with people who continue to help me be a better rider. The bruises, super sore knee, and exhausted feeling are all ok because I had fun at the race today. And beating my time from last year by about 30 minutes doesn't suck either. :)

It was so hot that this is what I was considering. Thanks Katy!



On a side note, I am SUPER proud of my husband! Josh did his first triathlon yesterday and killed it! He got 2nd place in the beginner class and 4th in his age group out of 28 people. He was 25th overall out of like 300 people! I can't say I haven't shed a couple tears about him preceding is bike ride with a swim and following it with a run, but I'm still proud of his hard work. There are a lot of Rules he doesn't follow anyway. :)

Now to ice the knee. Umm, I guess I need to follow Rule #5. Happy Riding!

Whatcha up to?

Been busy lately? I have. Here are a few things that have filled my summer days so far.

My mom had a birthday, and we celebrated by eating lots of ribs! The brother in the bowtie graduated from high school <tear>. My sister and I conquered difficult years of teaching and successfully burned ourselves at my pool! Yay summer!

I "subbed" for my mom at my parents' business. Need some awesome glasses? Go see my Dad!

I've spent a lot of time on my bikes. I did the Harpeth River Ride and rode with some nice triathetes. Then showed Lock 4 who's boss. This weekend, we are heading to Land Between the Lakes for the White Lightning mountain bike race.

The librarian at the local library I work with is leaving to go work in Nashville, so we celebrated her time with us last night. Like my Book Cake? I had to sit by the cake and smell its deliciousness the entire meeting. :)

I am enjoying every minute of my summer! Hope you are too!



Beginning a new adventure

Well, hello, Blog-world! It's been a while. I've missed you! My absence has been caused by a huge change in my life. Josh and I packed up our bikes and our dog and were basically pushed out of our house by its new owner. We felt very blessed that our house sold so quickly, but it was very emotional when we walked through the house for the last time. Well, for me at least. It was the house we bought right after we got married. We started our life together and raised a puppy there. We made that house our own. Now, it belongs to someone else who will make her own memories there. I am excited to start our new adventure. We stayed with Josh's dad until our apartment was ready. God bless him for putting up with us for a week. We moved into the apartment on Good Friday. It has fresh paint, new carpet, lots of boxes that still need to be unpacked. So far, we really like being closer to civilization. Mak even has a dog park that we can walk to. He still has major sensory-overload, but seems to be adjusting well.
My closet is completely unpacked now, and I can begin getting back to normal. I have become addicted to the Pinterest app on my phone and have been using it for outfit inspiration. I've been itching to wear a striped shirt I bought at a thrift store and searched for ideas. Here are a few that I pinned, and then my version. Hopefully, I will be sharing more now that we are settled. I'm so glad that life is a changing thing.

Team Camp 2012

I am recovering today from Treehouse Racing Team Camp 2012. I have barely been able to keep my eyes open today. We left Nashville Friday morning for Chattanooga. I realized that on the way that I completely forgot both pair of bike shorts I had hanging to dry in the bathroom. Luckily, Marsha (my fab riding buddy) had an extra pair that no one had bought. When we got to Chatty, it was starting to rain and the wind was rough. We changed in the parking lot and immediately began to climb Signal Mountain. We fought the wind gusts the entire ride. We climbed Signal and Suck Creek, which weren't too bad thanks to the help of my teammates. However, the descents were brutal because of the wind. When we were going down Signal, the wind gusts were blowing us all over the road. I was so nervous, and I thought the road was never going to flatten out. After a lot of prayer on the way down, I made it through, and it was one of the toughest rides I have ever done. We stayed at the Crash Pad in Chattanooga, which is a spiffy little hostel where our team basically took over. It is a great place to stay if you are going to ride for the weekend. You don't have to feel bad about bringing your bike into an elevator of a hotel.

Saturday was the main team ride. We started out together and headed for the River Gorge Race route. The girls split off and had a great ride in the sunshine. We climbed the "Stairsteps" and Raccoon Mountain. The wind wasn't nearly as bad as it had been on Friday. I was pumped when I got to the top of Raccoon (as you can see from my goofy smile below). I can feel myself getting mentally tougher with each hard ride. Saturday night was fun as we bonded over ziti and chili and watched some hilarious videos. Check out my fave here. Sunday, we made a big breakfast and parted ways. Marsha, Heather, Rick, and I went back to Raccoon Mountain to conquer the mountain bike trail. There were some pretty tough climbs, GIANT boulders, and long fast downhills. There was also a crazy rock ledge that freaked me out and some places that we were sure the trail had just stopped. Our legs were pretty tired from all of the climbing, but we were still able to make it through and enjoy the new terrain. I love riding new trails, and I only crashed hard once. All in all, it was a great ride. I could barely walk last night when I got home. Icy-hot strips and my comfy bed were exactly what I needed. I am really excited for the new race season. My first race is in two weeks, and I know that its going to be a great year with some pretty awesome teammates!

And in staying with my forgetful theme, I left my favorite jacket at the hostel and my bra in a teammate's car. How do I even remember my own name?

Hello Saturday! I needed you to get here faster, but I am very glad you are here now. This is the day that I get to forget about my crazy job and enjoy life. Ahhh, the weekend. I know you feel the same way, don't you? It going to be warm (50s) and sunny, so the husband and I are going to load up the mountain bikes and ride a good long while today. We have sold our house, and the appraiser is coming this morning. My coffee and I are need to get this house cleaned up, but procrastination has set in. I thought I would share a few things that I am thankful for to help me get going.

One: MY NEW BIKE!! Yes, it finally came in and it is AWESOME! The old gold one was sold as soon as the new one came in. I have ridden the new one three times now. The first time was pretty awkward because the bars were probably around three feet long--hit a tree with them really quickly. I was also getting used to the 29er wheels which turn differently than 26s. I could tell a difference climbing, especially considering there is a 10 lb weight difference from my other bike. I also have a double instead of a triple on my new bike, so I am still getting used to the gearing. The second time I road it, we had cut the bars down and had it fit to me. I felt all crazy on it and rode like a completely spastic person. I was scared on downhills and turns especially, because I finally have brakes that work properly and apparently I didn't know what to do with them. The third time I rode it, I finally felt like this was MY bike. I really enjoyed the way I could maneuver it through the trees. I sure hope today will be the same. It will definitely be a stress relieving ride.
Two: Sweet Friends. I have been blessed to have wonderful friends all my life. In the last couple of years, I have had the privelege to make new friends where I work. I truly believe that God has put them in my life for a reason. Its a wonderful thing to have people who know what your stresses are because they have the same ones. I can always count on those wonderful ladies to know when I am upset or frustrated, and they always cheer me up. I was able to spend some time with a fantastic "old" friend. She is a wonderful girl that I grew up with and it's amazing how easy it is to still spend time with her. There is never a quiet moment when we get together. I feel so thankful to have precious people all around me. Old and new. This is super silly, but back in Girl Scouts we sang a song that has stuck with me. "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold. The circle's round and never ends. That's how long I want to be your friend." Perfect for 9 year olds, huh? Even so, it really shows how special friendship is.

Three: Long hair. Ok, enough sap and profoundness. Now back to being a silly girl. I LOVE MY LONG HAIR. Did you get that? I can do so much with it! I can french braid it, braid it to the side, french braid it to the side, do a topknot, do a messy high bun, do a sock bun, scrunch it, twist it, straighten it, pull it into a pony tail, fishtail braid it, and the list goes on. Not to mention that I can skip washing it in the morning and do one of those things to it. It takes no time and I get to sleep later. And who doesn't want more sleep? My husband should probably refrain from reading this post, because he hates my hair long. He is always complaining about the long blond hairs that are found all over the house. The other day, he was putting his bike on the car and one of my hairs was stuck to it. Oh well, its the price he has to pay so that his wife can sleep a few more minutes in the morning. :)

Wordless Wednesday

Thankful for Three- well...

Pink blouse: swapped; gray cardigan: New York & Co; pants: Old Navy; ankle boots: Nine West

Notice the layering and boots? Read on.
It took a lot of time to find some things I am thankful for today. Do you ever have those days? I guess that's the whole point of this exercise, right Teach? Gotta be thankful, no matter how cold, gloomy, frustrating, or exhausting the day is.

One- Sweaters, coats, sweatpants, basically any clothing that is snuggly and warm will do. It hasn't been an extremely cold winter, but cold enough. Too cold to be motivated to be outside. In protest, I keep myself as warm as possible--peeling off work clothes to throw on warm sweats. On days like this, I wish I had a Snuggie.

Two- My bike(s). I had a rough experience with my lousy mountain bike this weekend, but as much as I claim I will never ride it again, I know that it is so refreshing to be on it. My new bike is supposed to be here very soon. You will see a proud pic as soon as it arrives. In the meantime, I will be on my road bike, riding in front of the tv (it's too cold to ride outside--duh), and imagining I'm in the woods.

Three- My new glasses! I'm super excited about these fancy things! My parents own an optical shop in Nashville, and I get family perks. These beauties are from the designer Jonathan Cate. Check out his website here http://www.jonathancate.com/index.html.

Have a fabulous weekend! I plan to get out and ride 2-3 hours on Saturday and Sunday. I hope you can get out and get some much needed vitamin D, too!

I guess it runs in the family

Had a lovely LONG weekend and had to go back to work today. Sad. I have bus duty this week too, which means I have to be at work early to watch the bus riders for 25 minutes instead of getting any work done. Blah. Lots of coffee and chocolate got me through the day, along with the purple tights I was inspired to wear by my beautiful sister. She went on a Target shopping spree this weekend and came up with two super cute outfits. I thought I would share them with you. We are remixers by nature. Isn't she the cutest?!

On another note, I tried my first sock bun last night. It was pretty cute when I put it up. Felt like I needed to put on my Cinderella dress and go to the ball with such a fancy hair-do. It actually looked pretty cute this morning when I woke up too. The curls were pretty and lasted most of the day. Forgot to take a pic before I put my hair up to work out. Sorry. I promise I will take some next time, which might be tomorrow. It was so easy to get curls, that I WILL be sporting more sock buns. Who knows? I may do a double sock bun and channel Princess Leia. Have a great short week!

Thankful for Three- Snowday Edition

Thursday's outfit (That fab jacket is from Target!)

Today's post is brought to you today by the dusting of snow on the ground which means a snowday here in Middle Tennessee. This relaxing day is well deserved after the teaching trauma I went through yesterday. I am convinced that barometric pressure negatively affects children. Because I didn't feel very thankful yesterday, you, dear reader, are not getting the wonderful alliteration which is Thankful for Three Thursday. Please forgive and read on.

One: Snowdays, duh! I didn't have to lay out clothes last night or make my lunch. I didn't have to set my alarm or have to hit the snooze button a million times. I didn't have to get out of my p.j.s. Who could ask for more? Mak and I snuggled with my kindle, a snowman mug full of coffee, and all of the morning shows I usually miss. Ahhhh... Which brings us to # 2.

Two: My kindle and lots of good books. This morning, I finished one and started another. Both are quick, easy reads that hold my attention. I like to switch up fiction and nonfiction, so The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is next.

Three: My husband. We have built a great life together, and I appreciate everything he is and does. That is all. I'm no sap, so don't expect gushiness from me. Oh, and he also just started his own blog about his cycling adventures. Check it out at http://midtncyclist.blogspot.com/. You know what they say, "A family that blogs together..."

Have a great long weekend!

Thankful for Three-Thursday

I recently saw a study about how important it is to be thankful. The study consisted of participants writing what they were thankful for in a journal each week. Well, winter time can easily give me the "mean reds." In order to stay sane, here is my weekly thankfulness post. Here's to a happy 2012!

One: I am thankful for my dad. Today is his birthday, and I made a slob of myself crying in the card aisle of Walgreens earlier.Why do the cards have to be so emotional? Where are the cards that just say "Happy Birthday, Dad?" Anyway, he is one of the best men I know--maybe THE best. I am so proud to call him my dad, and I pray that I can celebrate many more birthdays with him. Ok, stopping now for fear of more tears.

Two: I am thankful for my job. I know, I know, I work in a public school in Tennesee. How am I thankful for that job? you ask. Well, I hear funny things all day from 7 years olds, I work with such sweet women that support each other, and it really builds my patience. I know that God has put me in this position for a reason, even though this is my hardest year yet. Trying days like today make you think about the big picture. Glad that I have a job to go to everyday.

Three: I am thankful for new nail polish (especially when it's blue). Bright colors are my go-to in winter. Bright purple on Monday, now blue. You know, right?