Surgery is set

Hello readers,

Those who are here to read about my running, I am going to update you now!  As you know, I have been sidelined for awhile.  I finally did something about during this year's Cross Country season when I could not chase my kid around the course without pain or consequences!

Long story short, I went to PT, he sent me to Orthopedic Doctor.  He had some blood tests done and an MRI.  MRI showed very little wear in the joint but did pick up a torn meniscus.  The scheduler called me the next day to tell me that we can't schedule anything until the insurance approves the orders.  Last week, Thursday, I got the call it was approved!

I will be getting the tear fixed on December 21, 2017.  From what the Doc said, I would be on crutches for maybe 3 days.  So, I took off work for one week.  I don't know yet if I will be traveling anywhere for the Christmas and New Year holidays.  But, I will be home the week my kids are off of school.  That I like!  It has been too long since I have taken off to hang out with them.  I miss that.  Even though now a days, they tend to sit in their rooms and play games or watch videos on their phones...  I will get to be home with them to watch movies and play board games with them!
I was contacted today by someone in the Orthopedic office about getting in to see my Physical Therapist after the surgery.  She said that Doc usually wants you to go in 1 to 3 days post op.  I sure hope my guy is in the day after my surgery.

My goal with all of this is to be able to run again.  Not sure how far, how soon, but if I can chase my Cross Country runner around her course next fall, I will be so happy!  Shoot if I can run across the field from one side of the track to the other this Spring, without any pain or limping, I will be even happier!  So, the dreams of running again for my sanity are going to come true.  I can't wait!


Off n Dreaming of Running,

AnnMarie

Sunday, again!

Happy fall Sunday blog readers,

Where has the month gone?  We are already over halfway done with our Whole 30.  WOW!  And I am happy to report that I have not knowingly cheated!  I say "knowingly" because in the beginning I was not as good about reading those pesky labels.  My DH is not being as strict as I am about this round.

As you know, I am a Girl Scout leader.  In the fall, in our Council, we sell nuts and candy.  (Cookies are in January!)  I ordered a couple of items from each of the girls to boost their sales and was so excited to get my cans of Whole Cashews.  Then I read the label: Cashews, Salt, Peanut Oil.  Wait, WHAT?!?!?  Why would you put peanut oil on cashews?  Yesterday, I was at Aldi, and DH likes the Lightly Salted Almonds.  I read that label and there is peanut oil on those roasted nuts too?!?!  Who knew?  Well, know I know and sadly the can of cashews will be wrapped up for the bus drivers Christmas gift.  So, I guess that is a small win, as I won't have to decide what to get her.  😉

So, I think I told you all that DH borrowed the Whole30 book from his bus buddy.  I found a book store in my area that is sadly going out of business.  I got the last copy of the book!  Woo Hoo for me!  We gave Bus Buddy the new copy, since we are wearing the copy they borrowed us out.  I am loving everything that I have tried, except the mayo recipe.  I cannot figure out how to get it to emulsify.  I am pretty sure I added the oil too fast and now I have a jar of separated mess in my fridge.  I am going to try again, as I really want to make Deviled eggs for one of my Thanksgiving treats.

Was texting with my sister-in-law last night.  We are spending a few nights with them for Thanksgiving.  She has a son in college, a son who is a Sophomore in High School and an eighth grade daughter.  My brother, owns a farm and these kids help out AND are active in athletics and other school activities.  Add my three and we need to cook up a few feasts a day to feed this crew.  So, we laid out a meal plan.  I did tell her that DH and I are doing the Whole 30, so we will be bringing some of our own ingredients.  She suggested tacos/nacho bar for one night.  I just found this great recipe I want to try for Sweet Potato chips as your nacho chips.  If this works, I will be snacking on chips and salsa again really soon!

I love Pinterest.  For Thanksgiving, we will be going out to a restaurant to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary.  This will be our brunch/lunch time meal.  For dinner, we are all pitching in and bringing food to serve the masses.  I am going to try these stuffed mushrooms, I found them this morning on Pinterest.  I am also going to bring the Chicken Pot Pie soup I Pinned and my family LOVES!  And I will see if anyone is bringing a veggie tray.  I need to try the Ranch dressing from the Whole 30 book, so we can dip our veggies legally, if we want to.

Today is a Girl Scout meeting.  We are going to be finalizing the plans for the Winter Wonderland Brunch that is in less than 2 weeks.  Ack!  I have 8 registered girls, and I know that 2 of them are not going to be at the meeting.  We have a lot to do with so few girls in attendance.  Wish me luck.  And have a great week everyone.  Happy Thanksgiving, if I don't get time to blog again before then!  I have been thinking a lot about the new year coming and what that might look like for me and my family.  My son, needs to get a fire lit under him so he can rank up this spring before tennis and baseball season.  My oldest daughter needs to get started on her Gold Award project so that we can have it approved and work all next summer on it.  My youngest wants to earn her Bronze Award this summer before she bridges up to be a Cadet Scout.  Whew that makes me tired, but also makes me excited to see what the kids dreams are and where life will take them.  I will be having my meniscus repair surgery on December 21, 2017.  So, I hope to get on the road and actually run a bit in the new year.  We will see.

Off n Running,
AnnMarie

Goals and Declare It Day...

If you have been reading or just know me personally, you know I am goal oriented.  At least most of the time.  :)  I posted my New Year goals here.

A few days back I went to the Badgerland Strider Christmas Party/Award night.  Wait, rewind, almost exactly one year ago, my Badgerland Strider challenge was put into motion!  Wow, I cannot believe it has been a whole year and that I got my prize at the Award night.  Proof that I am goal oriented, but only when I am in control of the outcome I think.  Like this Strider challenge, all I HAD to do was cross 8 of 9 finish lines.  I did not have to win the races or even place in my age group.  I just had to show up and cross the finish line.  Believe me, the way my year started out last year, that was a good mantra ~ Just cross the line, just cross the line...

As you know, I was not happy with that mantra and set another goal/challenge to myself back in August.  I decided that mantra stunk and I knew I was better than that, and I was going to prove it.  I started my challenge of running one or more miles a day for the whole month of August.  I did it, too.  Then I couldn't stop, I wanted to see how many days I could go with out stopping.  I made it to 139 before I fell in December.  That is a lot of days in a row.  I don't even think I ran every day with the Cross Country and Track teams in college.  I think I took off on Sunday after race weekends, but I may have gone out easy a couple of Sunday's too.

Well, onto DECLARE IT DAY!  At that Christmas party, I sat with 3 ladies.  We started to chat and as we shared stories, one lady asked me about Fellow Flowers.  And said a friend Anonymously "Flowered" her.  She said it really meant a lot to her and that she follows them on Facebook.  Her other friends, as well as myself, dug out our smartphones and started looking them up.

I didn't do much searching after that moment, and I had heard of them before.  In fact, my t-shirt here:

is one of their creations!

They have some really cool stuff.  I have a client who has a TON of their shirts!  The quotes are amazing and so fitting.

Well, now that I follow them on Facebook, I get some of their posts.  And I think one last week was about DECLARE IT DAY 2015.  This is an event they started a couple of years ago.  I am just now reading their Goal Guide and how the concept came about and what the day is all about.  It is about empowering women and moms to set goals for themselves.  From the guide:  

We wanted to eliminate the stereotypes that keep women from stepping in, and we were committed to crushing the vicious silos that prevent women from connecting with each other. We wanted a space for women’s voices to be heard, validated and celebrated.

The purpose of Declare It Day has never been about putting restrictions on WHAT your goal should be... but rather giving you the freedom and space to chase whatever matters to you. Over the past two years, we have seen women say it out loud, write it down and believe in themselves, and then, go on to achieve not just their goals but also a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. 

Last fall in Disney with Deanna, she said at least once a day while there:  "I think this is the first goal I have ever completed!"  And I am super proud of her and how far she had come to get to that weekend.  She has set new goals and is still running.  I believe her next life time goal to finish is college and if you ask her I am sure she knows exactly how many more days she has until graduation this spring.  

I am wondering how many of female friends have thought of things they would like to do some day after the kids are grown?  Or think that they could never do that?  DECLARE IT DAY is about setting that goal and getting help from other women to get it done!

February 7, 2015 is DECLARE IT DAY.  I am off to finish reading my Goal Guide and prepare for the day.  Will you join me?

Off n Running,

AnnMarie

PS.  A quote from the Goal Guide that made me think of blogging today!

“STRENGTH DOESN’T COME FROM WHAT YOU CAN DO. IT COMES FROM OVERCOMING THE THINGS YOU ONCE
THOUGHT YOU COULDN’T.”

NIKKI ROGERS