It begins...

3 Half Marathons in 3 months!! The first one is Mercedes Half this Sunday in Birmingham. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good (decent) weather. Some days I feel ready and others I wonder what the hell I'm thinking. My last half marathon was a long time ago, September. We have kept up our mileage since, even through the holidays, and ran about 12.5 miles three Saturdays ago but I am still starting to feel nervous. I think this happens every time. Maybe what scares me the most is that I've got to turn around and do another one in 3 weeks (March 7th)!! Or that we (me, Lyndsay and Mary) said that after the last race in April, we will decide whether or not to go for a full marathon by the end of 2010. I can honestly say I am no where near ready to make that committment! Or that this time last year, I could barely even run one mile after months of physical therapy after my ACL repair. So far, the knee has held up pretty well. But every now and then it lets me know its not 100%, will this be the race where it gives me fits???

For this week, I'm going to try to keep my focus on Sunday. And try not to get too caught up in running a certain time (although I do have a goal in mind). I'll keep my focus on the thrill of the race. Lining up at the start line with 5,000 other people who all share the same goal as you, running 13.1 miles. I'll focus on the fact that I have two amazing friends that keep me accountable and make me get my butt out of bed on a cold, drizzly Saturday morning when all I want to do is stay snuggled up under the covers. A husband that is also a runner, and my running coach- of sorts. The feeling that you get when you cross that finish line. It's undescribable. No matter how many times you've done it. And the beer that will be waiting for me at the finish line:)

January-smanuary!

My birthday ice cream from Mandarin. It was green tea flavor. YUK! (Not sure why Hiro is handing me soy sauce...)

Isn't it the most amazing thing you've ever seen!!! For the record I didn't eat all of it!

DONE!

What is it about January that just stinks?? I think for me it's the fact that I have to wait a whole YEAR for Christmas:( I know I'm weird but I absolutely love everything about Christmas (and not because it's my birthday)! I start celebrating in November. This year I had my tree up the week of the Auburn/Georgia game! 2 months of holiday fun, and then BAM! its over. It makes me sad:( And I guess if I'm being brutally honest, since we don't observe Valentines Day or give anniversary gifts, its a whole year before I get to open presents again! Call me selfish, but everyone loves to open presents! Poor, pitiful me...

Anywho- The week of New Years was just as crazy as the week of Christmas for us!

Tuesday we had my birthday dinner with all our friends at Mandarin House. I ate the biggest plate of sushi ever and it was amazing!!!!

Wednesday I took the day off to get our house back in order and take down the Christmas decorations. Then we headed to Atlanta to see Band of Horses at the Tabernacle with Brian. It was so much fun and a great show!!!

Thursday we got up and headed to Nashville to meet up with Hiro, Lyndsay, Mary and James to stay with Hiro's friends, Tom & Missy, for New Years. We had a blast! This is about the 4th or 5th year that H & L have gone up to Nashville for NYE so we decided to tag along this year. It was a very relaxing few days as we didn't really leave their house except for a trip to the grocery store. We finally made it home Saturday night, after a pit stop at Rojo in Birmingham:) I didn't take a single pic in Nashville. Maybe I can get some off of Hiro's camera, he was much more on top of it that I was!

Sunday we both just rested and tried to get ready for a 5 day work week, what a bummer!!

This past weekend was our first weekend at home in what seemed like a month! Friday night was Mary P's birthday so we ate dinner at Amsterdam and then went bowling!! I hadn't been bowling in forever and it was so much fun! Something about bowling just makes you act like a kid again! The rest of the weekend was pretty relaxing, which was exactly what I was hoping for!

Toodles!

Christmas Craziness!!!

The chaos of all the kids opening presents!!!

The Rileys and the Hakes

My new cowboy boots Philip gave me! I love them!!

Doesn't look like there was much of a recession at my parents house:)

Kevin, me, Stephen and Kati- Cousins at Jacksons!!!

Philip and I had a WONDERFUL Christmas this year! It was a whirlwind weekend but so much fun!!!

Wednesday- Headed to mom and dad's house in Eufuala.

Thursday- Loaded up and headed to Birmingham where we met Bob & JoAnne at my cousin's house for the annual Tubbs Family Christmas. Words cannot even describe the chaos that surrounds this event but that is what makes it so fun!!

Friday (AKA MY BIRTHDAY!!!)- Opened up presents (it took us almost 3 hours!) and relaxed all day. Christmas night dad cooked us steaks and we celebrated my birthday:)

Saturday- We packed up and headed back to Birmingham to spend the night and see some friends. Philip got us a great rate at the aLoft in Homewood so we left little Charlie in Eufaula and away we went! Saturday night we ate at Jackson's for my Cousin Birthday Celebration. This is about the 6th year I have done this with some of my cousins and I love it!!!

Sunday- Went for a run through Homewood and it made us sad:( Met sweet little Ava! Ate lunch at Rojo. Went back to Tony & Britney's to chill for a minute. Ate dinner at Flip Burger for our friend Nick's birthday. Finally made it back to Opelika around 11pm!!! PHEW!

It was a blast and I'm bummed that it's over!!! I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!

Toodles!

Babies! Babies!

We had two friends have babies yesterday and another that will be coming any day!! Congratulations to Lauren & Allen on baby Ava Elaine!!! So far there's only one pic on Facebook but I'm hoping they'll post some more soon!

Congrats to Paige & Paul!! Their little Porter was also born yesterday!!

And little prayers going out to the Meyers this week! Baby Meyers #2 is due any day!!! My vote is for Christmas Day of course!!! :)

He did it!

I am so proud of this little fella!!! Saturday he ran (and finished!!) the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville. HOORAY!!! It was really cold and windy and his little legs were so red! He said it was the most challenging thing he's ever done but he's ready to train for another one!!! I think we (Me, Lyndsay, Mary & Philip) are going to think about running Chicago Marathon in October. Maybe...

'Twas Twenty Nights Before Christmas...

The girls in their pj's!

Lyndsay & me in our onesies :)

The Snuggie Squad. Brett & Audra were so excited about their blue & pink snuggies!!

"Dirty Santa"- an Iain Stewart original. This was one of the most popular gifts!!

All the boys. It was impossible to get them all looking at the camera at once!

The "Ralphies"- Philip wouldn't wear the bunny suit so I said I would. I think it would have been funnier if he had done it. Instead he opted for some "You'll shoot your eye out!" pj's:)

We had a 'Twas the Night Before Christmas party at our house on the 5th. Everyone had to wear pj's and we played Dirty Santa. Each couple brought a good gift and a "re-gift" and it turned out to be the best game of Dirty Santa I've played!!! The two biggest hits were a two-pack of Snuggies and an original "Dirty Santa" print from our friend Iain. Some of the not-so-popular gifts were a vegan cookbook and a can of Spotted Dick :o) Everyone had a great time and said getting to wear pj's to a party was awesome! Dad wrote a cute poem that I put on the invitation.

‘Twas twenty nights before Christmas
and down at the tracks,
Mer & Phil’s is the place
for holiday snacks

Everyone in their Jammies
is set for the night,
and the exchanging of gifts
makes everything right

Listed below
is all the specifics,
come ready for fun
it will be terrific

Gobble Gobble!!!

Even Charlie had a great time. He looooves running (& digging) in the sand!

A better place than this to spend Thanksgiving...I don't think so!

Impressing Philip with my mad golf skills

Ellen and I at La Cocina

Me, Charlie and Philip enjoying the beautiful sunset

Our whole group at the Red Bar:)

Brian, Philip and me taking a pre-Thanksgiving dinner walk on the beach

Round 2 of the Riley/Hake Thanksgiving at the beach was a hit!!! This year we stayed the entire week- Sunday to Sunday- and had a blast!!! The weather was great and we just relaxed the whole week. I thought we would get a little bored being there for a week when it's not warm enough to lie out but I was WRONG!!! Here's what all we did:

1) Played golf with mom and dad

2) Took some spin classes at Balance Health Studio

3) Read The Help and Bitter is the New Black. They were both great books. If you haven't read The Help, you need to!!! Philip read The Road and said it was awesome.

4) Shopped! (but not on Friday)

5) Watched the Iron Bowl

6) Ate at RED BAR!!!!!

7) Rode our bikes a lot :)

8) Spent some time on the beach

9) Polished up on my Wii skills

It was glorious and we can't wait to do it again next year!!! Thanks moms and dads for taking us!!!!

Toodles!