don't like my running selfies?..don't read this post.

I have not been updating my blog very much this month.

if i had been keeping up with it i would not be needing a full entry of running selfies.

these selfies are more for me than you.

for real.

i don't really like taking photos of myself.

i see things i'm not happy with.

one eye is open more than the other...

my face is blotchy...

i have bags under my eyes...

my smile is crooked...

stupid things to dislike.

but i'm determined to take these photos, 

every time i run.

i'm beginning to enjoy taking them.

the most editing that i allow myself to do with them is lighten them.

i am showing me.

this is who i am.

i get a red blotchy face when i run and sweat.

i have one eye that is open more than the other. i just do.

i'm a mom of two young kids...i hate makeup... so that is what i look like.

so, you may not care for my running selfies.

fine.

but it makes me get in front of the camera and do it in a fun way.

day: Mon Feb 3

time: 1:50pm

distance: 5K

temperature: -5*C

date: Wed Feb 5

time: 9:45am

distance: 6K

temperature: -10*C

date: sat feb 8

time: 8:40am

distance: 7K

temperature: -10*C

weather: snowy

date: mon feb 10

time: 1:15am

distance: 5K

temperature: -7*C

date: wed feb 12

time: 12:15pm

distance: 7K

temperature: -9*C

this morning the OPP stopped by while waiting for the bus.

they were looking for someone.  

if i saw someone in our woods i was to call 911.

no danger to me or the kids.

needless to say, i didn't rush out to go for a run that morning.

when i did go i saw no one on my run...

until i was on my way home.

there was one man walking along the road.

was the the axe murderer?

was he the sadistic serial killer?

(i have a bit of an imagination..but i kept running toward him - 'no danger to me')

i smiled when i realized it was a friend from church.

he laughed and said to me 

"there's no one chasing you."

oh, the funny joke to say to someone running..

he didn't know what had just gone through my mind...

it made me laugh a lot harder than i probably would have if there wasn't an axe-murderer stalking me in the woods.

date: sat feb 15

time: 9:30am

distance: 8K

temperature: -10*C

our kids had slept at a friend's house for the night.

the husband had to get up with our girl in the night because she was throwing up..

i went and picked her and the boy up, and after we got settled in the house i headed out for my run.

she threw up 2 more times while i was running.

ugh...i hate the stomach flu.

date: 'Family Day' mon feb 17

time: 6:05pm

distance: 5K

temperature: -8*C 

the kids and i had spent Family Day 

(yes, it's an actual holiday in a couple provinces in Canada)

at a nearby camp, enjoying the outdoors, the snow...an absolutely beautiful day.

when my husband came home from work i headed out on my run.

i haven't had to run in the evening for a long time...

i brought my flashlight with me, and needed it to be on about 10 minutes into the run, 

when dusk began to settle in.

my next scheduled run did not happen.  

Family Day night i went to bed...

but woke with the stomach flu.

my turn.

feeling a little better now, 

hoping to be able to run on saturday, when i'm scheduled for a 9K.

Winter activities.

I'm watching the Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

i say watching.

i'm catching glimpses.. and listening to my t.v.

i love the Olympics.

the hard work and dedication that people pour into a sport they love.  

a lot of times they started out loving it as a young child, 

and had the gift and talent to go big within the sport.

when i see the countries walk into the ceremony with one or two athletes i actually get teary 

(not so much when i'm only listening) 

the drive, the dedication, the passion of those individuals speaks so loud. 

i'm a sap.

it makes me remember what can be exciting about the winter.

the sports, the activities, you can do.

Last week (and weekend) i enjoyed the winter.

individually, with a friend, and with my little family.

Date: Wed Jan 29

time: 11:20am

distance: 5K

temperature: -14*C

weather: snowy. very snowy.

the snow was blowing in my face the whole run out.

i could barely keep my eyes open.

the way back was great though.

Friday:

Jan 31.

i went snowshoeing with my friend down main street.

that's right.

i said down main street.

our little town held a Winter Comedy Carnival.  

they brought in loads of snow to cover a section of main street.

there was snowshoeing, nordic skiing, fat bikes.

but friday morning it was quiet on the street.

we had fun racing down the middle of it in our snowshoes...

(i won...until my snowshoe decided to come undone and fall off)

Saturday Morning.

i went for my run.

after this guy got home.

(my encourager, my inspiration, my trainer, my running schedule maker)

date: Sat Feb 1

time: 8:45am

distance: 6K

temperature: -12*C

enjoyed this run...a little sore, but the weather was beautiful.

i couldn't complain.  my husband just ran 11K, i was only running 6. 

Saturday right before lunch we headed into town to give the kids an opportunity to see downtown.

we didn't end up eating lunch until around 2:30.  

they wanted to enjoy all the activities.

free trial of nordic skis, snowshoes and fat bikes.  

Look! there's the boy trying Nordic Skis for his first time.

his dad teaching him.

our girl running in snowshoes to see them.

he loved it!

he actually asked for some skis of his own so he could go with his dad again.

the girl and i went and got her face painted.

she has never let anyone other than me paint it.

she loved the pegasus she got.

thank you Painted Kids

then onto the Burton Riglet Park.

learning balance for snowboarding.

i don't know how many times the boy was pulled around.

he loved it.

the AO employee who took him around, again and again, gave him tips too.

there were other activities to enjoy.  

these were just the things we did.

when we got home the boys of the family went out and started digging out our quinzee.

what a great weekend.

great time of year.

so many people were frustrated with winter, with snow.

but the temperatures were spectacular.

and even though it snowed on the saturday, everyone who was there actually enjoyed it. 

it made sense to have a winter carnival with it snowing.

i sure hope they do it again.

 *all photos taken by me.

with Gertie.

edited with adobe photoshop

See what main street looked like the first time they covered it with snow: HERE

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

the Christmas Letter...

Merry Christmas from the D. Quigg Family

It’s December, 2013. 

I haven’t written a Christmas letter in quite a few years, but I decided that today was as good a day as any to write one. 

Dan has been working at the same company for about 6 years now.  He does welding, carpentry, tree work… yes, he is quite versatile.  He’s out there on this chilly day welding at a lake for a dock job.  Cold and not too fun I’m sure.  He always has something around the house that he wants to get done, and is so full of creativity.  He has discovered that his thyroid is not working well so has been on meds for that.  In June he ran a half marathon, held here in town, and did very well. 

the boy turned six this year.  In January he began his year by asking Jesus if He’d come live in his heart.  And since then he has been quite excited that Jesus is with him always.  His latest prayer request has been to have wisdom, like Solomon.   He is in grade one and is doing very well.  He loves his teacher and is making friends.  He loves math.  He also enjoys helping out in his sister’s class at lunch times.  He is a determined kid with lots of creative energy.  He has been waiting for snow so daddy can teach him to snowboard some more this winter.  He has just finished swimming lessons, that he had requested, and did so well in them. 

the girl, our little 4 year old.  She also began her 2013 by asking Jesus to come live in her heart.  She has been asking a lot of questions about what that means.  She is excited to see great grandpa Quigg in heaven one day, now that she gets to go there.  She (and her brother) love memorizing verses for Sunday school and their mid-week programs.  Her favorite verse is 'When I am Afraid I will Trust in You'. Psalm 56:3.  She is in Junior Kindergarten.  She goes three days a week, and loves the days she’s there.  She has a wonderful teacher and is making some good friends as well.  She loves going on the bus with her brother.  She just finished 14 weeks of gymnastics lessons and had a blast, loving everything about it.

Michelle is still at home with the kids.  She loves being at home to see them on the bus, off the bus and to be home if needed to take care of a sick little one, or to help out in one of the classes.  Every Monday she volunteers in the school library and loves it.  Seeing the kids when they come in, and having lunch with the boy every Monday.  Monday has definitely been a hi-light of her weeks.  She has been able to take some of her time to work on her photography, with the desire to improve on her passion. She is currently in drama rehearsals for the Church Christmas Play (dinner theater) that will be performed the weekend before Christmas.  She also completed her first ever 10K run in June.

In the summer we took a family trip out to British Columbia.  To Summerland, in the Okanagan Valley.  We were there for a Quigg family reunion.  What a wonderful trip it was.  The kids had their first airplane ride, and enjoyed everything about it.  We had the opportunity to see so many family members and for the kids to meet people they had only heard existed.  We are so glad we took that trip.  We also stayed after for another week and had a chance to visit Dan’s sisters and families at their homes – homes we had never been to.  And to spend time with the nieces and nephews we really didn’t know well at all.  The kids loved their cousins, and can’t wait to see them all again. 

When we got home we had Dan’s parents staying with us before they moved out to BC.  It was nice to have them stay with us, and we miss them lots.  The kids want to go visit about every other day.  Not so easy.  But they are now getting to see their other grandkids and enjoying being in their lives as much as they have been in our kids’ lives all these past years. 

In September we, as a family, participated in the Terry Fox run.  Dan and the boy biked the 10K, Michelle ran the 10K and the girl and her papa did the 5K.  Later that month Dan and Michelle participated in Tough Mudder.  It is an obstacle course challenge.  About 17Km in distance.  We had a team of 5.  What an amazingly fun day it was.  Tough? yes.  Sore at the end of the day? Yes.  We are registered to do it again August 2014. 

So…now it’s December.    At the end of this month we will be celebrating our 11^th Anniversary.  We are also preparing for Christmas…  ok, not really yet.  This is the start.  Each morning Michelle reads a little of the Christmas story out of Luke for the kids, and they have been enjoying listening to it. 

Christmastime will only be as busy as we allow it to be.  But no matter how busy we allow it to be I hope that you remember to take some time remembering that Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ’s birth. 

Love Dan, Michelle, the boy (& bear) & the girl (& Lammie)