Running thru life.... Thank you

In less than 24 hour I will be standing in the masses of people down in DC to start my half marathon. 

WOW!!!!
CRAZY!!!!

Still getting butterflies just thinking about it.
I will be pick up my race packet later today. 
It looks like the hight tomorrow will be 49 so it will be in the high 30s low 40s when I start running.  This to me sounds like good running weather... I hate heat! 

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in the last couple of months, and mostly this week with your kind emails.  I will be keeping all your nice thoughts in my head while I am running. 

Especially, thank you to Joe who has watched Clemson during my long runs, encouraged me to hydrate, and just helping me mentally get thru the tough phases of training. 

Thank you all!!!

Wish me luck....

Running thru life... Disposing of a Couch

I am a huge fan of craigslist as it has helped Joe and I of get rid of a great deal of stuff. 
To name a couple-  Old bed frame, kitchen cooktop, kitchen sink, wedding stuff, bookshelf, etc.

So at first I decided just to post an add on craigslist to see if anyone was interested. 
I decided I would be giving it away FREE because the cushion is destroyed from Clemson.
I really just wanted someone to pick up the couch so I
would not have to dispose of it or pay to dispose of it. 
In my add I did include what is wrong with the couch and also included pictures
First, let me say I am amazed how many people do not read the add or look at the pictures and just email you or call you- I got fed up with people.

So I called our waste disposal company - American Disposal.  To inquire about disposal of a bulk product like a couch.  The answer was so easy,  "Yes mama we can pick that up for you as early as Thursday."  I then asked about a fee and the customer service reprentative had a pleasant answer for me:  " No fee, you can have three bulk items a year."  WAHOO!!!!!

So my couch... my friend will be saying goodbye to us shortly.

Our visit to New Orleans

My husband and I just returned from a short weekend in New Orleans.  

WE HAD A BLAST!!!

Probably a little too much fun.  

I thought I would share some highlights of our trip.

We stayed at the Bourbon New Orleans right in the French Quarter. 

It was literally on Bourbon Street which made things very convient!!! 
The rooms were very nice but small (but we did not spend much time in our rooms). 
The had a pool, gym (which was very nice- I used the treadmill on Saturday morning to get a run in.) 
I was very impressed with how nice the hotel was for the price and also how convenient it was!!!

View from our room overlooking the pool/flower courtyard.

We mostly saw sights, ate, and partied.  

We went to a couple of cemetaries which is really cool because all the tombs are above ground because of the sea level.  

We met some of Joe's distant family, did a lot of walking, took the trolley, went thru the garden district which was beautiful and a little bit of shopping.  

But mostly ate and partied!!!

Joe's cousins (twins) were turning 21!!! 

What a place to turn 21!!!

On our trip the food was amazing... we ate at too many places to name.  

I tried....

Crawfish... good

Fresh boiled shrimp... most excellent

Turtle soup- interesting

Redfish-OMG!!!

New Orleans Coffee-- AMAZING!!!!!!!

Sideways picture of me with my coffeee and my empty camelbak. 

But my favorite favorite was the darquari place I found on Bourbon Street.... Strawberry!!! 

So yummy and they give you them in a sippy cup so you can walk around with them.  

I promised to myself because my race is this week that I would not drink Friday night, would get up and run Saturday morning, really hydrate and then celebrate the twins birthdays with them on Saturday night with drinks.  I had two drinks and was fine.  Hydration is the key.  

So basically Bourbon street was a bunch of people walking around with drinks 

in the most interesting outfits ever.

It was an amazing trip- one Joe and I will not forget anytime soon..

Running thru life... update

This morning I DID IT.... 13.1 miles!!!!!!
It was a nice paced run.  
I am offically ready.  Now I just need to layout my meal plans and hydration plans for this week.
Upload my new running mix to my ipod.
Do my last short run on Wednesday.
Friday afternoon I pick up my race packet.
Saturday will be my run... so keep me in your thoughts.


Also this morning, our HOA approved our patio!!  WAHOO!!!!

Running thru life....Our backyard Project Continued

Update on our patio process..

The owner of the Creteman came out two Monday's ago to look at our backyard and give us a quote.  After about 20 minutes of wading thru the mud in our backyard and taking measures, discussing saftey codes, design elements, etc- he handed me a quote. 

I must of made a face, because he quickly stated since we had been referred by a previous customer who was one of his childhood friends he would take off a decent amount (almost 1/7 of the price). 

I quickly figured out what he was charging me for square foot. 
"You should have been a math major" my husband tells me all the time because of the way I just calculate quickly in my head.
While calculating in my head, I also remember at the Home Garden Show I was quoted anywhere from 11-17 dollars a square foot.  So this is where my research helped!!!

The quote on Monday came in signifcantly lower at 9.5 dollars a square foot.  (This also included additional steps, colors, etc- which other companies wanted to charge me more for.  Furthermore, the owner answered all my questions about maintence, etc.)  The owner included in this price our first years sealing for free- which ROCKS!!!!

I was sold!  I signed the contract.
In April our new patio will be here!!!!  (Assuming the HOA approves it!)
Happy Spring!!!