winter: and my thoughts on it (and running in it).

date: wed jan 22

time: 12:30pm

distance: 4.5K

temp: -20*C

date: sat jan 25

time: 9:20am

distance: 5K

temp: -8*C

weather: snowing. 

(we received 6 inches of snow the previous night...and the roads were not plowed recently.  

that is how i felt running in the couple inches of snow on the roads)

i don't really care for winter as a whole.

i love the snow covered ground...

but, man, is it ever hard to get around when it never stops falling.

oh wait...

it does stop falling.

then i love the beautiful blue skies, with the sun reflecting off the white ground...

but, oh man, the bitter cold and wind that comes along with that.

so i love aspects of the season.

i dislike other aspects of the season.

i love snowshoeing...sledding...snowboarding...building snowmen, igloos, forts...

love campfires...the trees...the blue skies...the snowball fights...

love coming inside to hot chocolate...blankets...cuddles with my kids and husband.

it's the cold i have a hard time with.

when it's minus 20*C pre-windchill.

i don't hate it.

it has a beauty and a uniqueness to it that i can appreciate, but...

i could do without those temperatures, and quite thoroughly enjoy winter.

i think of my husband out welding at a dock, or working on a boathouse, with the wind off a lake 

and remember how it could be worse.

i think about the homeless... 

it could be worse.

i just don't like the cold.

i'm little.

i get cold easily, and take a long time to warm up.

and, yet, even when the temps have been quite cold these last couple weeks

(it's actually been snowing or freezing - never in between)

i get on my running clothes and shoes and head out.

i don't like running inside.

and, 

because of the beautiful sun that was shining on me for part of my run, 

i actually sweat a little today.

and i enjoyed it.

date: today.  (mon. jan 27)

time: 1:30pm

distance: 4K

temperature: -20*C

(my face is softened because of my breath.  yep, cold)

*all photos taken by me

with Gertie.

edited with Photoshop Elements.

end note:

last year i had my daughter home every day while her brother was in school. 

i couldn't run until my husband got home in the evenings.

i am so thankful for the chance to run mid-day, when the temps may be at their best, on the days my girl's also at school.

volunteering at my kids' school.

have i told you i'm volunteering at my kids' school?  

if i haven't told you..

well..

i am.

when the boy began junior kindergarten i was able to bring the girl with me to different things his class did.

she thought it was the greatest.

he asked me to, so i'm assuming he loved it too.

this year the girl began school.

i send her three days a week.

the boy is in grade one.

i know this amazing lady.

i met her when she was an amazing camp counselor.

we worked together at camp for a few years.

we became friends.

actually it's impossible not to love her and call her friend.

she adores kids.

she's a teacher.

she's currently the library teacher at my kids' school.

honestly...

if i were to think back to our days at camp i would have laughed had you said she'd be the library teacher at a school.

she's crazy, and i love her for it.

she wears her heart on her sleeve.

she loves each and every kid that comes through the doors to her library.

she called me up one day, asking if i'd like to volunteer to help her out in the library one day a week.

"ok"

that's right, no hesitation.  i didn't need to think about it.

i wanted to volunteer in the library.

at my kids' school.

i love books.

i love reading.

i love learning.

i love watching kids learn to love all of that too.

and most of all i love to be volunteering in the school that my kids go to.

on those days that i am in the library i am only there for half a day.

but...

the highlight?

my kids come at first nurtrition break and eat with me.

we spend some time together.

we eat.

they choose a book and i read to them.

then back to class they go.

i've been in when the girl's class has come in, and i've had the opportunity to assist.

since the new year i've now been there when the boy's class has come in, and been able to assist.

i used to be behind the counter, at the computer doing the circulation of the books.

now there's a lady who is coming in to do that and other administration things.

my volunteer position has been changed.

my focus is the bulletin boards 

*which usually became my priority anyway*

and assisting my friend as she teaches the classes, in whatever way she may need.

i love monday mornings.

i am getting to know the kids in the school

and a few of the teachers, and office staff.

we're beginning to work on a wall dedicated to getting to know the teachers and staff in the school.

i'm excited about that.

we put up an Winter Olympic themed bulletin board, 

and on my run this afternoon i had some more ideas for it.

i am so thankful for the call i received.

my mom volunteered when i was in grade school, 

in the library.

i remember looking forward to going into the library and seeing her.

i love that my kids feel the same.

and when i get home i can go for my Monday run.

(like my segway haha!)

***

it's getting colder again.

i did not really want to run on the weekend, but, 

i have a schedule and i'm not going to break it.

date: saturday Jan 18

time: 8:20am

distance: 4.5K

temperature: -5*C

running buddy: no one.

remind me not to bring the dog next time...

he's about 110LBS and excited...

i didn't want to run at the pace he wanted.

then when he finally slowed to a fast walk he wanted to sniff or attempt to pee at every snowbank.

i don't know if i was worn out from the cold, the speed, the pulling him away, or just because i had had a smoothie.

date: monday jan 20

time: 1:30pm

distance: 4K

temperature: -17*C

running buddy: Jack Jack 

i'm wearing my husband's toque with ear flaps.

i love it - he doesn't.

i will wear it if i want.

i shouldn't be on here.

the kids are at school.

and here i am, sitting at the computer.

i should be showering (i just got back from my run)

then eating some breakfast while i spend some time reading the Bible.

but i'm not.

i'm sitting here in front of my computer.

it is so easy to do this.

push everything aside to go on social media..

or play games or search the internet.

but i don't push things aside to read my Bible, 

or pray...

or write a real letter (with pen and paper) to someone i love.

sometimes the kids are put on the back burner

*gasp.  did she just admit this*

to just 'finish checking this out' or 'just a quick text'

(or my husband too.)

the days when i realize i've done that i'm usually good at stopping, 

putting down the phone, 

or stepping away from the computer to go to them.

to look them in the eye while they're talking to me.

to squat or sit at their level to see what they want to show me.

and i don't have a smart phone anymore.

i have a computer.

and an ordinary old cell.

when we're outside or out and about the world wide web is out of reach.

it is not a distraction.

but here, 

at home...

while sitting here i received a text.

funny.

i know i'm not the only one who does this.

who ends up realizing how much time has been spent on the computer doing really nothing at all.

sure i could argue..

'i'm keeping up with friends' or 'i wouldn't have known that if i hadn't checked'

but y'know what.

i can do it once in a day and find out what i need to know and then be off.

back to the real world..

the physical world i live in.

i can take time that used to be spent online 

and cuddle with my kids.

or my husband.

read my Bible.

have breakfast.

clean a part of the house.

make something yummy.

learn more about Gertie and what she can do. 

(that's my camera)

write a note to someone.

even chat on the phone with a friend. 

(hear a real voice)

computers aren't evil.

social media isn't evil.

but it's a thief.

it steals me away from those i love.

i give them only half my attention when i'm on it.

so i need to discipline myself.

not check facebook or my email every time i pass the computer.

even just a quick check is stopping me from what i was planning to do.

so.

after that.

i'll share my run photos with you and then be off.

Bible time.

***

Date: Monday January 13

time: 2pm

temperature: +5*C

distance: 3.5K

running buddy: Jack Jack

date: Wednesday January 15

time 8:25am

temperature: -1*C

distance: 4K

running buddy: Jack Jack

*all photos taken by me, 

with Gertie.

not edited.

  

what a difference a couple days makes

hey.

so.

i've been running, 

and been taking pictures of myself after the runs.

i'm having fun running and i think it's neat to see the time of day, the weather, and the bundled face.

so here's the 'after' photo from 

Date: Thursday Jan 8

time: 6:20pm

distance: 3.5

temp: -10*C

(snowing)

and here's today.

Date: Sat Jan 11

Time: 2:20pm

distance: 4km

temperature: +8*C

(raining)

so I've been reading a book my dad gave me at Christmas 2012.

i'm really enjoying it.

it speaks a lot about running.

toe first instead of heel first.

(as we do barefoot)

anyway..those who know me know i'd much rather be barefoot.

however where we live we get a little too much snow to be barefoot year-round

but...

today.

i ran 4K

on my .5k walk back to my house i decided to run a bit of it.

i ran about 100M...

like this: 

then my feet got a little too wet and cold.

*all photos taken by me.

with Gertie.

edited in Photoshop Elements.

snow day day 2

yesterday was a snow day.

buses were cancelled.

today is a snow day.

buses are cancelled.

the first day back after Christmas Holidays was...

yesterday.

oh well.

for some people it was, and it was a fun day for those who went. i'm sure.

i am so thankful my job is not to decide to cancel the buses.

i am thankful for the person who does it...

because it's not me.

they take a lot of crap i'm sure.

if they don't take it directly then the comments made by parents in the area are at least directed at them.

they make a call..

for the safety of the kids and the buses, 

by 6:30am.

they need to decide whether to send out the buses based on the weather reports for the day

(sometimes the current report)

and we all know how reliable a weather report can be..

even the satellite isn't 100% in the route of the snow/freezing rain.

so here we are with our second snow day...after two weeks off for Christmas.

yesterday i drove the kids in for the morning.  

i was in the school library, removing the Christmas theme on the bulletin board and transforming it to an Olympic theme.

then, since there were no buses, i brought the kids home with me when i left at 12:30.

yesterday the buses probably shouldn't have been cancelled, but i'm fine with the decision.

today we're not going anywhere... except sledding out back later.

snowfall is expected to be 20-30cm.  

it may or may not happen, but it looks worse out there today.

i'm sure someone somewhere is complaining about the second snow day.

i for one am not.

i have a headache and didn't want to get up.  

i was happy to hear of the decision.

thank you person who has to make the bus decision.

thank you for being you...in the position you work in...

even when the call could be disputed by the many of opinions out there that are obviously so much wiser and better than yours. 

on another note:

last night i went for a run.

date: Jan 6 2014

time: 6:00pm

temp: -12*C

distance: 3.5K

my legs after treking through the snow to cross the railroad tracks, just to get to the road i run on.

yes. headlamp was needed.  6:30pm in the winter=dark.

*all photos taken by me, with Gertie.

after the run

second run of the year.

not so chilly.

date: Sat Jan 4 2013

time: 8:30am

temp: -8*C

distance: 3.5K

what a beautiful morning.

not so frosty.

*photo taken by me.

with Gertie.

kisses

My boy.

he's six.

he doesn't like me to kiss him.

*unless he's sick or very sad*

i am allowed hugs, 

although sometimes i have to threaten to kiss him if i don't get a hug.

he loves cuddle-time with mommy.

he loves to play with his cars, trains, transformers.

he fights with his sister.

he plays well with his sister.

he adores his daddy.

last night we had fought before bedtime.

i was tired, he was tired.

he wasn't listening to the simplest of things that came out of my mouth.

frustration ensued.

after i read to and prayed with his sister, 

i took a deep breath and walked into his room.

he was in bed crying.

i had sent him to bed without a story.

i climbed up into his loftbed and lay down beside him.

we chatted quietly.

cuddled for a bit and then i read him 

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

after, we prayed.

he prayed that God would help his daddy feel better, 

he thanked God that he got to do some bow and arrowing yesterday even though he was so cold.

he thanked God that he could come into the house and get warm after being so cold.

amen.

i prayed and then we said good night.

he was giving bear kisses.

i told him that i would love some kisses, but i had to promise that i wouldn't give any back.

he kissed me all over my face..my cheeks, my nose, my eyes, my mouth, my chin.

i laughed and said that for a kid who doesn't like getting kisses he sure liked giving them.

he smiled, his sweet smile.

"i like to give them..."

shyness shone through, 

"to someone i love."

*heart melted*

 *photos taken with Gertie, 

by me.

It's a new year...same old, same old..

date: 

Jan 1 2014

headed out: 

9:30am

temperature:

-20*C

distance:

3.5Km

Happy New Year.

i have begun...continued...my training.

in 2014 i am planning to:

run the 10K race in town, but beat last year's time, in June.

do Tough Mudder in Aug.

and run the Terry Fox 10K in Sept.

same goals as last year.

nothing new.

except get faster...and fitter...

is that actually a proper word?... more fit?

last year at this time i began with a .5K run.

in the first month dan had me scheduled to work up to 1.5K and walks were included to work me up to that distance.

this year.

i began with a 3.5K, and by the end of the first month he has me up to 5K.

i love that i feel like this will be an easy month for me.  

cold...

but easy distances.

i have run twice, maybe 4-5 times, since Tough Mudder in Sept.  

so i'm starting over...

and feeling great about it.

this is my new year.

my new training routine.

yet my continuation on getting fit.

not a new years resolution.

i don't do those, they don't last.

i give myself a goal.

and work toward that.

Photo taken my Me.

with my Canon Rebel T2i