GARARHARHARHARHARH!!

*pant, wheeze, gasp*

I'm getting nervous about the 10k race tomorrow.  Not really about the race itself.  I know I can run 6 miles.  I know i can run it in under and hour and a half.  I'm nervous about finding the place to pick up the papers and how cold and icky it will be running in the rain and the wind and the smoosh.  I'm nervous about people commenting about my toe shoes, and I'm nervous about the crowds.

But adrenaline is good, and hubby is making me a yummy protein and carb filled dinner tonight, and I got myself new running pants with a pocket to put my energy boosting jelly-beans.  I also got a waterproof jacket that I'm not sure about wearing due to breathe-ability.  We'll see.  I'll make sure I make a nice long post after I recover tomorrow.

Anyway, I don't really have any pictures to post, so i will leave you with this:

Zoe dog on her favorite place on the couch.

Spring, maybe? Almost?

My first crocuses (croci? - that sounds too reptilian) have bloomed.  The rest of my landscape is still brown with many patches of snow, but I did manage to get the christmas lights down, and peek around at daffodils and crocuses and other small green shoots that are brave enough, and believe, unlike me, that maybe there won't be anymore snow.  Ha ha, I say.

I also had help on my endeavor.  But he was too busy climbing up and down out of the front garden to really let me take a good picture of him.

I also have opened up all the windows in the house to let some fresh air in.  I know it might snow again tomorrow or next week, but I'll enjoy the warmth and fresh air today.

Toe Shoes.

So today I went running.  I have a 10k on Saturday that I'm at the moment torn between working hard towards, or hardly working towards.  Part of me says, "Feh.  I can do this.  I should rest so I'm ready to go."  The other part says, "ARRRRGHHHH  I must train harder!!!!!  I must make sure my feet are up to the challenge."

  Most of you may think making sure my feet are good isn't that big of a deal, but I have gone away from wearing traditional running shoes to run.  I now wear the below.

Yes.  These are my feet in the snow, wearing Vibram Five Fingers.  They are shoes that make you feel like you're going barefoot, without destroying your feet on particles of glass or roots or sharp stones or... anything you might otherwise wince at stepping on.  And they do a good job.  I've been running in them for... a few months now, on and off.  And the most important thing I learned was to start slow.  I'm pretty sure I can run 10k in them at this point.  Being cold isn't a problem, as long as you're not standing in snow for more than a few minutes. (This picture was actually post-run, I was doing a brief cleaning off of my 5's before heading into my mom's house)

Today I ran on asphalt roads, which is a bit hard on my feet, my feet got a bit tired, but then i moved onto dirt roads and, wow,  it is AWESOME to squish through mud in these things.  And the shoes don't throw mud up onto the back of your clothes like regular sneakers did when you were a kid.  (or still a kid at heart).

So I ran 4 miles on back roads today, some paved, some not, and though my feet are a bit achy, I'm pretty sure I'll be set to go on Saturday.  Depending on how much it rains.

Lunch!

So I think about food a lot.  I was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the little one, and was going to make one for myself... when i came up with a plan.

Yes.  Peanutbutter, honey, and marshmellow fluff.  Sinful.  But sooo yummy.  And it's on wheat so it can't be all bad, right?  RIGHT?!

Really, I didn't go crazy.  Just a good even balance of fluff and peanutbutter and honey.  Such a smooth sandwich.  Ok, and gives me a sugar rush.  Not the healthiest of meals. But it is vegetarian.

As we like to say in World of Warcraft:  OMNOMNOM.

Anyway, I had worked up a good appetite earlier because I started my hellish project of removing the wallpaper from the bedroom so I can, at some point in the future (how distant in the future I'm not sure), paint my bedroom a soothing green.  Though my husband and I are currently debating if we want to keep in the bedroom or make it a library... but that's a different discussion.  Anyway, the horrible wallpaper and icky bleh color on all the trim needs to be changed.  What I've managed so far today:

Yeah.  I know.  Not very impressive.  But when One is trying to chase around a 2 and a half year old, and using only one of those round wall paper scorers and hot water, this is as far as one gets in a half a day.  I will hopefully continue this afternoon.  Whee.  Somewhat productivity!  Go me!

Breakfast!

Mmmm... English muffin, egg, bacon and cheese sandwich for breakfast.  And coffee.  Lots of protein for the run I hope to get in this afternoon. Had to make the baby an egg and muffin too.  Easy to make, easy to eat.  And cheaper and probably slightly better for me than something fast food breakfasty.

Sprouts

Broccoli sprouts
Originally uploaded by Dragonlightt

I can't believe this little guys are already this big after being in soil less than a week! At this rate I'll be eating fresh broccoli in no time. The only problem is, the ground is still very snow covered and frozen... I hate to tell the little sprouts to slow down but at this rate...

I got the seed starting stuff at Home Depot for about $8 for 72 cells and 72 little self-inflating compressed dirt pellets. Just add water. Very space-aged, and the baby loved "helping" mommy adjust and move the dirt pellets around... then once they had sucked up the warm water and turned to earth, he was happy to poke at them with the stainless steel chopsticks i was using as tools to move stuff around.

I've planted 4 different types of tomatos, thyme and broccoli. The rest of my lettuces and veggies tel me to plant them right in the garden a couple of weeks before the danger of frost. I might plant a few more things in the cells, but i'll wait until the snow is gone at least.

Next thing on today's list. Prepare to strip Wallpaper.

Just waiting...

Locked in Ice
Originally uploaded by Dragonlightt

We came back from visiting family in Florida last week. To a foot of snow, and many icicles on the house. I have my seedlings planted... now I'm just waiting for the snow to melt...