She let go

I heard this poem during a yoga class recently and thought it was beautiful!  

 

She Let Go

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.
She let go of fear. She let go of the judgments.
She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.
She let go of the committee of indecision within her.
She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely,
without hesitation or worry, she just let go.
She didn’t ask anyone for advice. She didn’t read a
book on how to let go… She didn’t search the scriptures.
She just let go.
She let go of all of the memories that held her back.
She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.
She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.
She didn’t promise to let go.
She didn’t journal about it.
She didn’t write the projected date in her day-timer.
She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.
She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.
She just let go.
She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.
She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.
She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.
She didn’t call the prayer line.
She didn’t utter one word. She just let go.
No one was around when it happened.
There was no applause or congratulations.
No one thanked her or praised her.
No one noticed a thing.
Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.
There was no effort. There was no struggle.
It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.
It was what it was, and it is just that.
In the space of letting go, she let it all be.
A small smile came over her face.
A light breeze blew through her.
And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

Author:  Rev. Safire Rose.

One way I cook with tofu

Tofu is like a dirty word to some - mention it in a group, and you'll instantly see noses turn up.  At first, I was clueless about how to prepare tofu and integrate it into our meals.

Fortunately, I have become more tofu savvy and cook with it all the time.  Now I'm on a mission to turn other people into tofu converts.  So here's one way we commonly cook tofu:

I buy the extra firm or super firm tofu variety for most recipes because it has more of a solid texture (it also comes in silken form).  Sometimes, I buy the already cubed tofu, but most brands of tofu come in large blocks that require you to cut it up into smaller pieces.  Because most tofu comes packaged in water, you will want to dry it out a little before cooking for an even firmer texture.  I pull out a couple of hand towels to soak up the moisture. Usually, I cut up the block into smaller pieces and THEN blot the moisture out.

After covering the tofu with the towels, I press down gently and then leave the towels on the tofu for about 5 minutes. Once I'm done waiting, into the pan it goes!

It is totally normal for the tofu to break up a little
 like you see in this picture.  

I add a few tablespoons of oil with my tofu and turn the heat up to medium-high.  I use a wooden spoon to stir until it becomes golden brown.  Then, comes the good part - flavoring!  Because tofu is really absorbent, you can marinate it in anything.

**As a side note, I always found the aversion to going vegetarian curious - almost every recipe with meat calls for outside seasonings or sauces for flavor - why not switch to a healthier alternative like tofu? Ok, sermon over.**

One last tip: if you don't like the soft texture of tofu, cut your tofu pieces smaller.  Big pieces of tofu have the golden brown outside and a lot of the soft-textured tofu inside.  The smaller your pieces are, the more of the crunchiness you'll have from cooking. 

We made an asian salad for this recipe, so I added some soy sauce into the pan.  In addition to the soy sauce flavored tofu, we combined:

1) bagged salad
2) dry roasted peanuts
3) raw water chestnuts
4) won ton strips

And that's it!

Get yourself a BIG bowl of salad (I eat about half the bag)
and enjoy the final product!

We are human BEINGS not human DOINGS

I sometimes wonder if the show The Walking Dead (you know, the TV show about the zombies?) is more real life than we all realize!  So many of us are exhausted, worn out, dog tired, or dead on our feet.  Despite the toll that sleep deprivation and stress take on our relationships and health, we've become a culture that glorifies busyness.

How many times have you asked someone how they've been and they respond: "BUSY!"?  The response almost comes across as an boast and an invitation to ask about the person's activities.   Working towards goals and being engaged in our jobs, families, and communities can be incredibly satisfying and lead to fulfilling results.  Action is how we turn our dreams into reality.  But where do we stop?  And at how much does this productivity cost us?

It's as if busyness is a new form of "keeping up with the Joneses" and somehow, checking more items of your to-do list makes you a better person.  Or, blame it on the Protestant work ethic that has permanently left its mark on how we view society and shaped our opinions of how its members should act.  Or maybe it's even a way to bring meaning to our lives (your life obviously cannot be trivial if you are booked up solid all day every day, right?).

I can attest to feeling anxious or jittery when I'm not working on something.  I feel lazy if I'm not engaged in something productive.  Periods of time of inactivity and quiet are not a vacation or laziness.  Solitude, reflection, and times of idleness are necessary for our heath and allows us to take a step back to get a macro perspective of our lives.  It inspires us to make connections we wouldn't otherwise see because we've got our heads down in focused work.

I don't write this from a perspective of having this balance all figured out - I continue to learn what works for me and what doesn't.   Sometimes, I still over commit and have to lean on my family when I feel like I'm about to have a meltdown.  Thank goodness for a supportive family and a resolve to improve!

The challenges of being a bunny momma

Every year a Easter approaches, I cringe just thinking about how many adorable little baby bunnies will be purchased, then abandoned (pet rabbits CANNOT survive outside), or flooding animal shelters.   6 years ago, I was just as impulsive when I decided to take on a pet rabbit.

My in-laws were shopping local yard sales and knowing that Aaron and I were looking to take on a small animal for our apartment at IU, they called us to tell us that someone was giving their rabbit away for free at the yard sale.  Awesome, I know.  We decided to take her, and promptly went to the store to buy her all the  "necessities."

As we started doing our research, we learned we were doing all the wrong things: feeding her food that was a horrible diet (but is very colorful and enticing at the store), providing her bedding that was toxic (which is also very easy to buy at the store), and not giving her enough space for exercise.  Learn from my initial mistakes and check out my tips for responsible rabbit ownership:

1) Rabbits need a diet of 80% hay and the other 20% should be fresh vegetables (ideally leafy greens).  Don't bother buying the colorful trail mix at the pet store - most of it is junk and should not be consumed by rabbits.  To save money per pound, we buy 50 pound boxes of hay from a feed store.

2) Look for a rabbit-savvy vet.  Most of the time, you end up having to go to an exotic vet and paying a premium unless you are lucky to find a vet who has gone out of his or her way to study rabbits.

3) Rabbits need lots of space - our rabbit Mimzy has a 3 ft. x 9 ft. cage, and she is let out every evening for supervised exercise.

4) Be prepared to clean - a lot!  While rabbits are easily litterbox trained, they get their hay EVERYWHERE.  And the hay they eat makes the room where they live smell..... organic.

5) Get your pet rabbit spayed or neutered.  They are EXTREMELY susceptible to reproductive cancer and fixing them prevents these from developing.

6) Most rabbits do not like being picked up and are extremely fragile (they can break their own backs by kicking too hard).  When they bite, it REALLY hurts (trust me, I know - Mimzy is a biter!), so they may not be ideal pets for small children.

7) They can live between 7-10+ years.  Mimzy is 8 years old now!

Aaron and I will undoubtedly adopt another rabbit after Mimzy passes because we've fallen in love with the little creatures, but they are definitely a lot of work!

Embracing the runner in me

A little more than a year ago, I would have never said this.  I would have told you that running caused a lot of pain and frustration.  And it makes you feel like a complete klutz (when I first decided I wanted to run, my gait was less than smooth, and I felt clunky!). 

As strange as it is, I had to practice to get better at running.  At learning how to listen to my body, how to breathe, how to adequately hydrate myself, and how to deal with the disappointment of not performing at the level I desired.

 I am so thankful that I now look forward to my runs and feel like it allows me to see my life from a more positive perspective.

 

Guinness World Record Challenge: Most Pet Food Donated in One Week

We give away 50 tons of pet food every year -
we can use all the donations we can get!

In a previous post, I mentioned a goal that I am working towards of "global proportions."  I'm finally ready to share my secret: I am organizing an effort to break a Guinness World Record for the Most Pet Food Donated in One Week!

This record of course, will benefit the pet food pantry I manage: The Indianapolis Pet Food Pantry and Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside will take credit for the record.  Our goals are simple:

1) Collect enough food to break the record (a little more than 13,000 pounds - here is the record: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-4000/largest-donation-of-pet-food-in-one-week/)

2) Draw attention to FIDO's work.  Even though FIDO is a small non-profit, we have big work to do (help improve the quality of life for Indy's outside dog by getting them adequate shelter and getting them off chains), and more people need to know about what FIDO does so they know how to report abuse and neglect. 

3) Bring in more FIDO supporters.  We can always use more donors and volunteers!

The record attempt will take place September 22nd - 28th

I couldn't be more excited!!!  This is a really fun way to help animals AND attempting to break a world record is on my life's to-do list!  Ahh!!

You should know!

It's good to be back after a blog hiatus (unplanned!)...

Here are a few things you might not know about me:

I love kittehs!

• I absolutely hate raw tomatoes, but I will go to town on salsa. 
• I am truly a cat person who just happens to love dogs too.  I think I can relate to cats more in that they are so adventurous and curious. 
• Even though I'm a cat person, I can think of no better way to spend a rainy afternoon than napping with my two pooches!
• I have a ridiculously long life goal's list - like, we're talking over 200 goals, folks!
• I am totally a night person.  I have tried a few times to pretend to like going to bed early and being a go-getter in the morning, but it just ain't happening!  I'm writing this at a quarter til' 1.....
• Diet coke is a perfectly acceptable morning beverage. 
• My degree is in economics, and if you'd told me several years ago that I would be working at an animal shelter, I would have laughed at you.
• Speaking of animal shelters..... Some day, I want to put my business training and background in economics to use and do research for the field.

Hello 2013!

My "big idea" for 2012 was having more fun and adventure, and I think I was successful!

I learned to ski in California, I got into mountain biking, I camped, I went sledding, I weaved through the crowds of Venice beach, tried my hand at surfing, skateboarded, completed a marathon, played soccer, roadtripped all over Indiana, saw Hollywood, experienced the freeways of Los Angeles, slept in the Grand Canyon and saw the most beautiful display of stars I've ever seen, hiked to an Indian reservation 8 miles from the nearest road, and swam in water so blue it looked like kool-aid.

Here are a few goals for the coming year:

• Have more fun!  

• We are going to try kayaking this summer.  
• I am going to enter my first mountain bike race EVER. 
• We're going skiing again!

• Continue to stay active 

• I already have another marathon picked out for this year in October (http://www.columbusmarathon.com/).  Can't wait!!
• Complete my first triathlon - Aaron will be doing this with me.  We haven't chosen our triathlon yet... that's something we need to do. 
• I am going to continue mountain biking and will try to improve my skills and speed. 

• Accomplish something related to my interest in music

• Some may not know this, but Aaron and I met in choir class in high school.  I have put my interest in music on the back burner for a while, but I think I'm ready to get involved again.  I don't know if that means learning to play a few songs on the piano for church (or on the guitar?) or auditioning for a musical or choir, but this is something I've been wanting to do for quite some time.  

• Pay off a high interest student loan 

• I have one in mind already, and I have a strategy!  Unfortunately, it means we will be taking a smaller vacation this year, but I think it will be worth it.

• Expand our small business

• We're hoping to relaunch a redesigned website and increase our revenue by 15%.  

• Make better choices for the environment 
• We started recycling this year (and now only put our garbage out every 2 months!), so we'll continue that. 
• I will not be buying any new clothing during 2013.  All of my clothing will be from thrift stores or yard sales (unless I'm buying undergarments or swimsuits or if I cannot find a reasonable replacement for a pair of shoes). 
• We are going vegan.  This one scares me - we've been vegetarian almost 4 years now, but we're ready to take the plunge and go vegan.  I'm afraid that I will send extra time in the kitchen or have trouble grocery shopping.  We shall see, and I will be happy to share my thoughts on the topic.  So, why is being vegan better for the planet (and the animals and our bodies)?  Click here: http://www.vegansociety.com/become-a-vegan/why.aspx

• Expand my Spanish skills 

• I am one of three translators for our shelter, and unfortunately, I still have a lot to learn!  In late 2012, I started listen to the Latin radio station in Indianapolis.  I will continue this and will add in some dedicated study time/note-taking.  

• ORGANIZE!

• Unfortunately, I did not inherit my mom's innate ability to make any space tidy and orderly. First, I am going to start with decluttering to see how far that takes me, and then, I'll focus on some specific projects. 

• Secret goal: I am still not quite ready to reveal this, but I am working on a project of global proportions!

While this may seem like a lot of goals to work on, a lot of them are either things I've already doing and are expanding upon or are one-time goals.  Either way, I'm excited for what 2013 will bring!

CHEERS!

2 Year Anniversary At IndyHumane OR There Are Only So Many Tomorrows

This past Thursday was my 2 year anniversary at the Humane Society of Indianapolis.  The past two year have been fun, exciting, fun, stressful, heartbreaking, but most of all, so incredibly fulfilling. 

It is so easy to choose a job because it pays the bills or because your dream isn't "realistic"  Prior to working at IndyHumane, I worked as an underwriter (basically doing financial risk assessment) for OneAmerica.  My coworkers were pretty nice, and the paycheck was great (as were some of the other perks of the job), but I couldn't get out fast enough.

I worried that financially, I couldn't afford to take a pay cut (and who wouldn't love to pay off student loans faster?), but after a lot of planning and discussion with Aaron, we figured out a plan.  Even with a plan, I was still scared.  What if I regretted it and couldn't get another job doing the same thing or something in the financial industry?  What if I didn't like it as much as I thought I would?

The truth is, chasing your dreams is far from easy, but just making room for those dreams to develop and evolve seemed to be the key to make those dreams a reality for me.  And here's what I found to be the most startling discovery: You will never ever be prepared.

I'm not suggesting that just mustering up some courage and taking a blind leap is what you should do, but what I do mean to say is that while careful planning goes a long way, you can never fully prepare yourself for the amazing journey.

It was the same way when we started our business.  We wrote the business plan, did our research, and talked to other business owners about how to get started.  In the end, we were met with TONS of obstacles that we couldn't have predicted.  We had faith enough in ourselves that we could handle whatever came our way or could ask for help.

Two years later, I couldn't be happier with my choice, and my dreams have evolved since I first started down this path.  I want to work internationally with an animal welfare group (in a Spanish speaking country ideally!), and I would also like to help contribute research to our field so that animal welfare professionals and volunteers can make better (life-saving) decisions for animals in their communities.  Those are just a couple of things on my list : )  We shall see where the journey takes me, but in the meantime, here are some great memories from this past year:

My pit bull mix Angel and I get to meet great kids like these guys throughout the year!

And sometimes the kids come to visit the shelter!
This picture was taken over the summer

I participated in community events to let others know
about the resources that IndyHumane has to
offer (and brag about our wonderful adoptable animals!)

This photo was taken at the Great Indy Pet Expo. 

This is just one of several foster animals we have
hosted in our home!  Faye is our current foster, and she is adorable!

We opened up this BEAUTIFUL new facility to
offer low-cost vaccines.  We will soon be
offering low-cost spay/neuter surgeries!

I can't believe I get to come here every day for work!

And of course, I adopted this handsome little dude!  He only has
 two legs and his family was distraught about the
 very few options they had (because of his disability) when they were
forced to surrender him.  IndyHumane gave him a chance,
and now our family can't imagine life without him!

And here are a few videos made during the last year:

An overview of IndyHumane: 


A heart-touching adoption story: 


A video about the NEW Animal Welfare Center:


And finally, one of my big guy, Rocky (he's cuddled up on the couch next to me right now!):

Adventure Out West & the Spay/Neuter Conference

At the end of October, I had plans to go to the United Spay Alliance conference in Las Vegas to learn strategies to make spay/neuter programs more accessible to those who live within our state.

So many of the men and women at the
conference are so inspiring!

I went as the representative from Spay Indiana and was so inspired by what my peers are doing within their respective states.  Each state has its own challenges: some states have huge Indian reservations that are difficult to reach because they are so remote, other states have expanses of rural land, and other states have very few shelters or rescues, much less affordable spay/neuter options.  

I learned about a new product called Zeuterin, which is a chemical that is able to sterilize male dogs.  Dogs do not have to be under anesthesia (a sedative is adequate), so this makes older male dogs a particularly good candidate for this method of sterilization.  Secondarily, this method of "neutering" the dog is helpful for those guys who just can't part with their dogs testicles - believe me, there are more out there than you think!

Prior to the conference, Aaron and I headed to Vegas a little early for some fun!  As soon as we landed, we rented a car and headed to Arizona to hike the Grand Canyon.  Specifically, we wanted to hike to the trio of waterfalls within the Havasupai Indian reservation.


The closest hotel to the trail head is an hour away, so we found ourselves at a kitschy little place that looked like something from the animated film Cars:

The hotel utilized old, broken down cars as part of its decor, and Tex Mex style was all the rage!  Even though the place was a little corny and the accommodations were definitely not of a fancy hotel, we had a great time and to relieve the experience that we had the next day at the Grand Canyon, I would go back in a heartbeat. ❤

The hotel had a cafe nearby, and of course, there was more over-the-top decor - LOVED the T-Rex!

The next morning, we arose at 4:30 am so that we would have enough time to hike to the campsite and to spend time at the waterfalls.  

With the 1 hour drive to the trailhead, we started hiking as the sun was rising - BLISS!!  Even though it was an early day, I have such fond memories.  

Hiking the canyon was a really neat experience.  I had to be careful not to run into anything or trip on something because I was taking in the view.

 After hiking about 10 miles, we came to the second waterfall: Havasu Falls (the first set of waterfalls is called Little Navajo).  It was spectacular.  I have never seen such beautiful blue water.  It made us think of Berry Blue Kool-Aid!

By the time we reached our campsite, we were pretty wiped out.  We had hiked a good distance with 30-40 extra pounds of weight on our backs from our camping gear.  We set up our tent and sleeping bags and made ourselves lunch before hiking to the last waterfall - Mooney Falls.

We brought canned spaghetti for lunch, but unfortunately, we forgot to purchase the self-opening type of cans....oops.... Aaron brought a claw hammer and we were able to make that work, thank goodness.

The cooking process was pretty interesting.  Because no campfires are allowed, we brought a sterno and built up some rocks around the can - it worked perfectly!  Clearly canned spaghetti is by no means a culinary masterpiece, but it tasted sooo good because we were starving from all the hiking!

Money Falls is just beyond the campgrounds by 2 miles, and even though we were tired from hiking the 10 miles to the campground, it was worth the trip!!  The waterfall is about 200 feet tall, and it is magnificent.  To get to the bottom of the falls, you start at the top and have to carefully scale the rocks down to the bottom.  A series of chains and ladders help you get down to the bottom, but it was still super scary.  My legs were trembling during the entire descent.  

Night comes early in the Grand Canyon - this picture was taken between 6:30 pm and 7 pm (and right before we went to sleep!).  Even though it was early, the 14 mile hike wiped us out, and we went to bed.  Being out in the middle of nowhere has some huge advantages - we could see thousands of stars.  It felt like we were in a planetarium.

Sure, you could pay big bucks to have a helicopter take you out of the Canyon or even rent the Havasupai horses to carry your stuff for you, but what fun is that?  We opted for the more frugal option and hiked out ourselves the next morning.  I think these are pretty fake smiles - we were very tired and sore from the hike the day before.  We learned that most people do not make the hike over two days - usually, people camp for a couple of nights to let their bodies rest to make the hike back to the nearest road.

The last part of the hike was a 2,000 elevation change within a 1/2 mile span.  Truth be told, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.  The last half mile was every bit as hard as finishing the last few miles of the marathon.

 We took historic Route 66 to get back to Vegas (and to a HUGE meal and a hot shower!)

To round out our outdoor fun, we stopped by Las Vegas Cyclery to rent some mountain bikes and went to Red Rock Canyon to hit the trails.

Unfortunately, we didn't pick a great trail, but the landscape was fantastic!

We found a few neat things along the way like this cave.  

Vegas itself was pretty amazing and fun, but we were content with the one day we got to check it out.  We got to walk into most of the hotels to see the crazy displays - what a difference between our day camping and this!  

Hilariously, the most expensive night for us was camping in the Grand Canyon.  It was twice as expensive to sleep on the hard ground in a tent as it was to stay in a nice hotel in Vegas!

We went to the top of the Stratosphere to watch the sunset - it was a bit windy!

And to round things out, I had to post this picture: how ironic is that we were in Vegas for a conference about neutering and this ad for the Blue Man Group is up: 

My First Marathon

Well, I survived my first marathon!  Admittedly, it was more difficult than I expected - some of the challenges were out of my control and others I could have helped!  It was extremely rewarding, and I am looking forward to doing my next one!

So,  I saw one crazy guy running barefoot... yes, no shoes and no socks.  I thought of him as the rain started to pour down (more on that later!).   And then there were people cheering with signs along the way that made me laugh.  Here is a list of my favorites:

1) Think Kenyan
2) Don't poop your pants
3) Keep Going, Keep Going (that's what she said)
4) Beat Oprah (she completed the Marine Corps Marathon in 1999)
5) Chuck Norris never ran a marathon
6) You're kind of a big deal (this sign was being held up by a woman dancing in the street wearing a ridiculous hat and purple boa)

The songs I put together for the race were perfect, especially the song that showed up at mile 13: Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer."  The chorus goes like this: Oh, we're halfway there, ooooh-oh!  Living on a Prayer.  Seriously?  Hearing those words at EXACTLY the halfway point?  Amazing.  I started to tear up.  Don't judge!

My main motivation throughout the course was Aaron - he dropped me off in the morning and rode his bike around so that he could meet me every few miles along the route.  It was SO wonderful to see him and hear him cheering me on!

Here were my biggest challenges:

Three days prior to the race, the weather forecast showed no chance of rain.  I was a little surprised when the sky yielded freezing rain.  At one point, frozen rain was bouncing off my face.  With the temperatures dipping to about 35 degrees, my legs felt stiff, and my hands were tingling.

The night before the race, I went out to eat at an Italian restaurant called Sangiovese.  Despite the reservation we made, it took them an hour to seat us.  The last time I went to Sangiovese, their furnace was having issues, so we had to eat our food as quickly as possible before it went cold!  Needless to say, I will probably never be back!  As a result, I ended up losing an hour's sleep.


On Thursday, I played in a soccer game, and even though I told myself I would take it easy, I didn't.  The soccer game left me with a sore muscle in my lower back that caused me issues during the race.

It was extremely challenging to say the least, but I am so happy I did it.  I am already looking to sign up for another one for next year, and I can't wait!  It is extremely rewarding and while the training is hard, there is nothing like the feeling of finishing!

I bought myself a tie-dye pink sports bra for the race!

Mile 6ish (I think!)  

Mile 9ish (I think!)  

Can't remember which mile this was... but I'm still happy at this point, so it was definitely some time                      before it started raining!

One 20 mile workout down, two to go!

Wednesday is my day off, so I took advantage of my free time (and avoided doing house chores!) and planned to do my first 20 mile workout before the marathon.

Here are a few things I learned: 

1) I like knowing the route.  

Last week, Aaron helped map out a 16 mile course for me, and I felt anxious not knowing where my next milestone would be.  I set up a 5 mile route that I already knew, and I ran there and back 2x.  Knowing the route helped me plan and set my pace. 

2) I like setting up my own aid stations. 

When Aaron helped me the week before, he set up my aid stations for me, and because I didn't know where exactly they'd be and how far they would be spread apart, I got really discouraged.  One aid station took about 7 miles to get to, and because it was so hot out, I ran out of water in my fuel belt.  Yep, feel free to laugh.  I sport one of these when I run outside : )  

3) I actually really like running outside. 

Over the summer, I ran indoors solely because it was so dang hot and humid out.  I enjoy taking in the surroundings, and the best part is that I get to look behind myself and see how far I've run!  I recently bought a watch to help me keep on pace.  The one thing I did NOT like was the fact that people will let their dogs run loose.  One dog did about half of my workout with me.  She is friendly dog, but she nearly was hit by a car numerous times.  During one pass by her house, I actually knocked on the door to return her, but nobody reponded.  

I feel like I did pretty well overall - I kept track on my watch, and most of the time, I was coming in under my goals.  However, on my last 5 miles, it started to rain pretty hard, and I had a fairly strong head wind that made me feel like I was running no faster than I could walk.  So, I started to walk with about 3 miles to go... and I couldn't get started again.

I am doing a walk/job combination for the race, but I never walk more than a few minutes at a time.  I walked through this strong wind for about 12-15 minutes, and my muscles just didn't want to go any more. I tried running several times, but my legs felt like lead weights.  The time for my last 5 miles was not so great, but I FINISHED!!!!   

Aaron met me at the 10 mile and the 15 mile marks, and it was SOOO good to see him.  

I am doing at least one more really long workout before the marathon on November 3rd - my plan is to do 23 miles and if I have time, I will do another 20 mile workout.  I am unsure if I will have the time to do it though; you are supposed to taper your running the last few weeks before the marathon, and I may run out of time to my last 20 mile workout.

Here are a few photos from my run today (they have been instagrammed):

My route took me through the cornfields of Johnson county.  The cornfields and the cooler weather make me think of fall.  

These beauties were across the street from where I parked.

These cows were so sweet and curious.  They were slow moving and seemed to look at me quizzically as if they wondered what the rush was all about.

Total side note, but they got me thinking... I don't think I could eat meat any more if I wanted to.  I decided to go vegetarian in 2009 because I hated factory farms; they are horrible for the environment, and the living conditions for the animals is terrible.   I don't necessary oppose meat consumption, but I DO oppose factory farming.  Even cutting down on your meat consumption helps.... side note over : )

I also saw some cute horses during my run as well.  Their two companions are not pictured.

Fun weekend

I love Fall (so do lots of other people - just watch for Facebook and Twitter to explode with comments like: "Yay!  Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back!" or "Yummy - pumpkin muffins" or "Hooray for fall!"), and incidentally, we had a free-ish weekend just as Fall officially started.  We decided to take advantage of the time and great weather to do some fun things.

After we did some serious yard work on Saturday morning/afternoon (BLECH!), we headed to Adrian Orchards to hit up their Cider bar and walk around the pumpkin patch.  We bought a jar of apple butter, got a gallon of cider for ourselves (and 1/2 gallons for our parents).

The only fun part of the yard work was planting these mums . And check out my summer petunias - they are still hanging on!!  

The orchard is walking distance from my elementary school.  I remember taking field trips there as a kid . 

In front of the apple trees and pumpkin patch. 

A freaking adorable building.  This is the store portion of the orchard.  

Later that evening, we made dinner and started a bonfire and enjoyed the cider.

Sunday, we went to church, I did some of my marathon training (I'm doing a 20 mile run this week - EEEKK!!!), and then we met my father in law at Town Run Trail park for some mountain biking.  YEAAHH!!!!

We saw some deer while we were riding - I had to zoom from forever away, so they're hard to see.  I made a pathetic attempt to circle them in red... Trust me, it was cool to see them.  

Sadly, this park runs right by I-465, so these deer are hanging out in a dangerous spot.  We quickly moved on so that we didn't spook them into traffic.