Running, running...

...since the new year I have taken up running for my weekly exercise. This fall I quickly came to the realization that I needed something that I could go and do at any point in my day with very little planning. Running fits this bill for me. For Christmas Andy gifted me a shoe fitting at a running store in Atlanta and it made an immediate difference in how I felt about my running. I also needed motivation to stay with it...enter the fabulous website runDisney and I was ready to go. My goal this year is to run at least one 5K at Disney and at least be registered for a half at Disney by the end of the year. 

So, here's what I've accomplished so far:

-Andy and I are now planning to run the Expedition Everest Challenge together in May. It's a 5k with obstacles and a scavenger hunt. You can complete it as a team and we are doing it to celebrate our anniversary which will be just three days before we leave for this trip. Which means that we'll be back at Disney in a little over seven weeks...eek! We are excited and really excited to do something fun together. 

-As far as the Half Marathon goes Andy's sister, Caroline, has also gotten in to running and since we've been pregnant together, twice, we decided we needed to do something fun for ourselves as a reward for getting back in shape. So, our plan is to run the Princess Half Marathon in February 2013. We are really looking forward to planning a trip for just the two of us. Being there together last week really got us excited and motivated. In the fall I'll start my half training schedule. Andy is planning to run the Food and Wine Half at Disney in November. As of right now I think I'll run the 5K that they have that weekend. Should be good motivation to stick with it and help get me excited about February. 

Needless to say Andy and I opted for another set of Annual Passes for this next year. I've already used mine for eight days and Andy has used his for seven days. They say to make it worth it you need to be in the park for nine days in a year...we are well on our way! :) Couple that with staying off property for over a week this past week and we've saved over $112 in free parking already. 

I'm really excited about running at Disney...I've heard nothing but INCREDIBLE things about their events. I'm also really looking forward to doing each of my races with someone special. Everest will be a great time for Andy and I to reconnect after a wild and crazy last year and a half. We never got to celebrate our five year anniversary so we decided to do something special for our sixth. And the Princess Half will be amazing to complete with Caroline. We've spent the last few years being pregnant together and raising babies. We are really excited to do something special for just us. 

Anyways, I've been slack in my running the last three weeks...although, I did run once on vacation. I'm hoping to run at least twice this week and ease back in to my routine. (If I can get my average three runs in that'll be great.) By next week I want to be completely back on schedule and I'm quite excited that the time has changed since it will give me more time to run in the evening. 

Four years, really?

Four years ago we tied the knot...

To celebrate I thought I'd share four photos that are significant to our lives or things that I'm proud of...

First, would be our house! Wow. We bought it after we'd been married a year and we have almost completely redone the whole thing. No small feat. I'm proud of what our home has become and what we've learned along the way.
Second, would be our students. Over the last four years we have opened our home to dozens of students and I'm really grateful that they have been able to seek refuge in our home while they discover who they are in college. (I could do a whole slide show of just them...) Life is meant to be shared and I'm blessed we get to share it with them on a daily basis.
Third, on my top four list would be AG. This last year of our marriage has been so much richer because of our handsome, little red head. I can't imagine life without him in it. This photo sums up our last year of marriage perfectly. Joyful.
Lastly, I'm proud of how hard my husband works. One of my proudest moments was just weeks ago when I got to see him awarded at his company's President's Achievement Club trip in Maui. Andy you are an incredible husband, father, and dedicated business man...I'm so proud of you. Thanks for sharing life with me these last four years.