Biology Gal

The Christmas spirit...

2009-12-09T14:26:00.004-06:00

I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit. I love everything about Christmas. It seems to make Santa Clauses out of even the meanest grinches.

The "toys for tots" box at work is filled to the brim. One of my coworkers is arranging to pick up names from an angel tree so I told her to pick one for me this year. I always have such a hard time choosing one. Just one little angel. It seems like such an insignificant attempt at helping. I always want to help them all but it's just impossible. There are so many little angels on those trees and it breaks me heart.

My question is... how do you choose who to help? Where do you stop? There is so much need in the world and it always seems especially prevalent at Christmas. I was always such a lucky child at Christmas. There were always many gifts to open, a warm house where I waited for Santa Claus to visit, and a loving family surrounding me. There are so many kids out there in need.

The story of the starfish keeps coming to mind when I ask myself, "Does it really matter? I can't help them all. What can I do for those kids in need?"

The starfish story...

Once an old man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see boy going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach. Back and forth this little boy went. As the man approached he could see that there were thousands of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the tide.

The old man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached the little boy continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the boy he said, "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference. What you are doing doesn't matter."

The little boy looked at the man. Then he bent down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, "It sure made a difference to that one!"

Please consider making a difference to someone this Christmas.

Yankee Candle giveaway!

2009-12-09T10:29:00.002-06:00

Hannah at The New Black is hosting a Yankee candle giveaway! Her blog is so much fun and you will like it! I promise!

Cruise over to her blog here to enter!

Everyone loves Yankee candles!

13.1 miles. Check.

2009-12-08T16:38:00.006-06:00

I ran in the St. Jude's half marathon race this weekend with about 8,000 other people! It was an incredible experience for me and also supported a great cause.

I went to Memphis with 3 great girls and we had a blast! We arrived at the convention center on Friday night and picked up our packets for the big race. There were 4 of us that signed up to run but my sister-in-law broke her foot a few weeks ago during an 8K run and my friend T had a nasty cold and felt awful. So that left me and A to run!

I was a little excited to be in Memphis at the St. Jude's expo! Can you tell?

On Saturday, we woke up to 28 degree weather.
The GPS died on the way to the race.
I ate two bites of a bagel and a sip of coffee before running 13.1 miles.
It was one of the best experiences of my life.

(Please excuse the photo quality because some of these are taken with my cell phone).

Here are a ton of runners lined up at the starting line! We're ready to run because it's SO cold just standing here!

Here's a pic around mile 3 as we were approaching Beale Street. My feet started to thaw around this point.

The atmosphere was incredible! Downtown Memphis is a fun place and it was such a moving experience to run past the St. Jude's hospital. The spectators were incredible- people were cheering for all of the runners and the course even went down Beale street which was very cool! It was so much fun to see all the crazy signs to support everyone. Some of my favorites said

"If it were easy, I would be doing it"
"Who needs toe nails anyway?"
"The carbo load was worth it, right?"
"Run Forrest, Run!!!"

I saw several Santa Clauses, elves, many different musicians, belly dancers, and even Big Foot along the course! It was such a great cause and I felt like a million bucks when I crossed that finish line... the excitement was quickly followed by feeling like my quads might explode... and then freezing... and then needing to lay down but drinking hot cocoa instead.

Being part of something to raise money for St. Jude's was just awesome. There is no other word to describe it. Seeing parents standing along the race course holding up signs that said "Thank you for helping my child" brought tears to my eyes. Runners had pictures of little bald children pinned on their backs. People ran "in memory of" children and "in honor of" children who are still fighting the hardest fight of their lives. I will always keep St. Jude's in mind for charity donations!

My goal time for finishing the race was 2 hours and 15 min and I made it to the finish line with less than a minute to spare! I have been working toward this goal for a year. A year ago I ran 0.1 miles and thought I would hurl. Now I can run 13.1 miles! You bet your a$$ I put one of those stickers on my car. It says "13.1" and it rocks.

We went out for a fun girls night in Memphis and I can't even remember the last time I had that much fun! We even saw Elvis. :-)

What does someone need to run their first half marathon?

2009-12-03T21:28:00.003-06:00

So it's supposed to be 28 degrees on Saturday morning in Memphis for the St. Jude's Half Marathon. The degree to which this sucks is not even measurable on the scale of how bad things suck.

I'm packed and ready for the trip!

There will be layers and layers of clothing.

I may look like this kid...

Happy weekend to all!

Eccentric much? Why, yes... yes I am.

2009-12-03T13:06:00.006-06:00

I thought it would be fun to ~~confess~~ write some things that make me ~~a little crazy~~ eccentric... Feel free to share your quirks too!

1. I love the travel or trial-size section at any store. I adore the teeny tiny bottles of various products. They are so cute and fun and of course I need them all.

2. I love holiday socks. Yes, I'm that cool. Usually they are hidden by boots or long pants... but it makes me happy just knowing that I am wearing fun socks. You can bet that I have on some hideous bright red socks with snowflakes all over them under my black boots today. Classy. ;-)

3. I make lists. To do lists, grocery lists, Christmas gifts to buy lists, but I have never made a list of all of my lists. Now that would be silly, right?

4. I talk to my dogs and I really think they understand me. They want to hear about my day when my husband isn't home. Really. They do.

5. I'm obsessed with any website that keeps track of things for me.

For running: I use http://www.runningahead.com/ to log every run that I do with the time it took, the % incline, type of run, or weather conditions for an outside run, etc.
For reading: I love http://www.goodreads.com/ to keep track of books that I have read.
For budgeting: My credit card website has a tracking feature that makes a cool little pie chart showing where the money goes. I love charts, graphs, and tables.
For travel: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ to pin a map with every city I've visited.

6. One of my favorite winter meals is tomato soup (made with milk) and a grilled cheese sandwich. Hey, I'm a simple sort of person, what can I say?

7. I will not check out a library book. They smell bad and I'm fearful that they may have been in the hands of a "bathroom reader." Ewwwww!!!!

8. My favorite number is 4. It's very even and balanced and logical. There are 4 sides and corners to a square, 4 legs on chairs, and I even think the number 4 is a little bit lucky. My first date with my husband was on the 4th of June. And... my birthday is in April (the 4th month).

9. I am the leftover queen. I realize how un-OCD this sounds but it comes from being a very poor student for a very long time. Did anyone else out there join student organizations in college in hopes of leaving a meeting with a leftover pizza?

10. I still have a knack for finding free food. I will sit through any seminar if there is food to eat. I will randomly listen to financial planners, biotech scientists, salespeople, career counselors, organic chemistry lectures... you name it. If you give me a couple of slices of pizza, I will give you my lunch hour. I will walk 10 blocks for a boxed sandwich lunch. Bargains make me incredibly happy.

Ok... now I have revealed my quirks! Do you do anything crazy too? Am I alone in my quirkiness?

The update... thanksgiving, Black Friday, half marathon, reading, Christmas prep

2009-12-01T13:13:00.004-06:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous thanksgiving filled with wonderful food, good friends, and family!

I've been so busy that I have neglected my blog. So here's what I have been doing lately...

We went to my sis-in-law's for a spectacular feast! She made a 24 lb turkey. Yes, it was the mega-turkey if I have ever seen one! The food was delicious, the company was great, and I got to play with my little niece. It was a great Thanksgiving!
I got up at 3:30 AM last Friday to go Black Friday shopping. I fought the masses at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target. I got some INCREDIBLE bargains! And this gal LOVES a bargain like a fat kid loves cake.
My first half marathon is on Saturday! I did a long 12 mile run last Saturday and my knees have just stopped hurting (and it's Tuesday) so we'll see how this goes.
I get to run with 2 great friends and we have 1 awesome cheerleader who has a broken foot (huge bummer). We had t-shirts printed for our team. We're "The Bookies" and "we've been bookin' it since 2009!"
The half marathon is in Memphis and benefits St. Jude's! Contributing to a great cause and experiencing a fun city with wonderful friends will be an amazing way to spend a weekend. I hope we have time for Beale Street, Rendezvous ribs, & Graceland after the run.
I finished Eat, Pray, Love and LOVED it. Read it. It will change your life. If you love to travel, you will really enjoy that book.
We put up our Christmas tree already! We still have the same Christmas tree that we bought in 2004. It was $20 from Big Lots and we love it. It is the most pitiful Christmas tree that you can imagine but that baby is loaded down with lights, tinsel, and many many ornaments so it looks pretty good to me.
I get sentimental every year when we put up the tree. Every ornament on our tree has some special meaning and a story behind it. There are birds with broken wings, a stuffed Ronald McDonald from when I was 2 years old, scotty dogs from my MIL (the hubs name is Scott), a chipped light house from Tybee Island, and bells with sequins (most are missing) and I would not trade any one of them for a set of fancy ornaments.

Do you have your Christmas tree up yet? Ho, ho, ho!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T09:07:00.002-06:00

May your stuffing be tasty.

May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

There are no impossible goals.

2009-11-23T14:46:00.002-06:00

Call me an optimist (or a little crazy) but I'm one of those people who believes you can do anything if you really want it bad enough. If you put in the effort, you will achieve your goal. Sure, there are roadblocks, setbacks, and obstacles along the way... but if you just keep going and keep trying, you can do it.

As Little Nemo says... just keep swimming.
(yes, I loved the movie and yes, I am 30 years old)

So I signed up for a marathon.

26.2 miles.

Scary.

***sings to self: "just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming."***

Cavanal 5 Mile Run

2009-11-21T16:17:00.002-06:00

A week ago I ran up this hill. It's the "world's highest hill" at 1,999 ft tall. If it were a ft taller, it would be a mountain. The 5 miles up this "hill" were killer.

I did this run with one of my best friends and we had a blast. I had not seen her in almost 2 years! She met me in my hometown and we ~~ran~~ jogged and walked our way up the hill. I was dragging around mile 2 as you can see. I'm the one in the pants who is barely managing to stay upright. I also had a cold and was hacking like a chain smoker. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

Here we are at the finish line and I was very relieved to be finished with this race!

I finished in ~77 minutes. Yup, that's a whopping pace of >15 min per mile. Oh yeah. I know most grandmas move faster than that but they're not running up hill for 5 miles straight! Hey, it was a great way to start a Saturday morning and I got to hang out with a wonderful friend. :-)

The never ending story...

2009-11-10T11:48:00.003-06:00

Do you ever pick up a book that you just CAN'T manage to finish? Yeah... that's me with Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and the Damned. I have been reading this book for months.

It's not from lack of effort.
* I carry this book in my purse to work.
* I take it into the house with me at night.
* I put it in my car when I will be getting an oil change and have a few minutes to read.

... and I open it and read one paragraph and then:
* fall into a coma.
* check my email for the 400th time.
* log onto facebook.
* balance my checkbook.
* go clean something... anything.
* read another book instead (or some random science protocol or a product brochure or anything else to prevent me from reading The B&D).

Yes, the Beautiful and the Damned has given me ADHD. I loved the Great Gatsby but somehow I just can't get into this book.

So I bought Eat, Pray, Love instead.

What are you reading right now?

P.S. Thanks for all the comments on the big announcement about San Antonio! I look forward to eating my way through the city and surrounding areas!

The hubs and I are moving to...

2009-11-09T15:02:00.004-06:00

....San Antonio!

My husband and I will become Texans some time next summer! He has been interviewing for jobs over the last couple of months and the decision about where to move has not been an easy one. We don't know ANYONE in San Antonio. I've been to this city twice in my life. But, we are on to the next adventure. I'm trying to stay positive about it but I have to admit that a move to a completely new place is pretty scary.

So now we just need to:
* sell our house in Alabama.
* find a job for me in San Antonio.
* find a house in San Antonio.

Most important:
* find the best places for Mexican food & margaritas in San Antonio. ;-)

Any suggestions?

Running!

2009-11-06T12:54:00.003-06:00

Saturday, November 7, 8 AM:
Vulcan 10 K Run
Birmingham, AL
Goal time: 1 hr.

Saturday, November 14, 9 AM:
World's Highest Hill 5 Mile Race
Elevation change: 1,999 ft. (It's one foot shorter than a mountain y'all).
Poteau, OK
Goal time: no goal time for this one, the plan is to finish the race without needing emergency medical assistance.
If my geometry skills are working, I'm calculating this to average a 4.7% incline for 5 miles. Holy crap. Fun stuff!

Monday

2009-11-02T21:20:00.003-06:00

Thanks so much to everyone who left such sweet comments a few days ago when I posted about my friend. She was diagnosed with liver cancer and she is only in her early 30's. It's just so unbelievable to me still. She has started chemotherapy and I am praying all the time for her. She is such a strong person and she is fighting hard. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers for her.

The weekend review:

I rotated my tires instead of buying two new ones. The tires for my car cost about 5 times as much as I budgeted. Dear Santa, the Frye boots will have to wait until next year, please bring me tires. Sigh.... At least the dogs are good for another year after a trip to the vet.

My Halloween was spent with the most precious baby girl in the world. I was thrilled when my sis-in-law asked me to join her and my little niece for a Halloween parade. My niece was a bee princess and she was adorable in her little orange tutu and bee wings. She was very cuddly because she is teething and I must admit that baby cuddles are the best thing in the entire world.

I got 6 trick or treaters this year. When I got home from my sis-in-law's house, it was already kind of late so I got some sketchy teenagers and some of them weren't even dressed up. I wouldn't have even opened the door if Scott wasn't home! I bought 4 bags of Halloween candy so I'm glad I don't have to eat ALL of it myself. (ok, ok, so I ate an entire bag of Butterfingers last week before Halloween weekend even started).

For my ~~butterfinger induced state of guilt~~ half marathon training, I ran 10 miles on Sunday. It was the first double digit run of my life and I was thrilled! It's so nice to get on the treadmill, zone out, and forget about everything for a while. Some people are able to think when they run, they sort out all of their problems... not me, not this weekend. I just went blank. I watched the ridiculousness (yes, that should be a word) of VH-1 mega-yachts, listened to good music on the iPod, and felt nothing except for the sweat running down my face. It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T14:14:00.005-05:00

Cricket wishes you a happy halloween!

(Bat girl)

(Masquerade girl)

(The Nightmare of Elm Street girl)

(Davey Crockett)

(Indian girl)

It's pay day!

2009-10-30T11:23:00.004-05:00

I want these...

But alas.... instead of the beautiful Frye boots I've been lusting over, I will be buying shots for these little girls at the vet tomorrow...

and 2 of these for the Mazda-rati.

Being responsible is SO overrated. :-)

8 K Run Away race and Sloss Fright Furnace

2009-10-28T10:48:00.007-05:00

I ran the Hannah Homes "Run Away from Domestic Violence" 8 K last weekend and enjoyed it so much! I was part of a great group of family and friends who participated in the run. My husband, sis in law, and some friends all got up early on a chilly Saturday morning to support a great cause and complete a very challenging course. There were TONS of hills! The course went through the beautiful Greystone neighborhood and it had water stops every mile! Score!

The run started with a huge hill that not even Britney on my iPod could help. (I'm loving the new "3" single of hers- it's my new running song). So I started out tired but managed to get into a rhythm around the 2nd mile. My lungs were hurting from the cold air but I kept going. My goal was to finish in less than 50 minutes and I actually hit the finish line before 48 minutes! I was thrilled! After the run, the crew and I went to Cracker Barrel to celebrate and enjoyed some well deserved calories.

Saturday night, some of us went to the haunted Sloss Fright Furnace. It's an old steel blast furnace that is over 100 years old and it's supposed to be haunted. The place itself was really creepy and several steel workers died there. Think of crumbling bricks, really old giant machinery, cobwebs, and the dark. Here's the website if you're curious:

Sloss Fright Furnace

It would have been so much more scary if the cheese factor was decreased. Of course I made my husband go first but the ghosts, goblins, and zombies waited to jump out at me. I will admit that I'm a spazzy sort of person, so yeah, I jumped and screamed a few dozen times. It was a fun time and I'm glad we went. It would have been much more scary if they would've just let us walk around in that place without all the "monsters" jumping out at us every couple of seconds. It's amazing how haunted houses just aren't that scary as an adult. As a child, I would have been completely traumatized by the Sloss Fright Furnace.

Do you do the Halloween haunted house thing?

Prayers needed

2009-10-27T13:24:00.008-05:00

I got some really horrible news last week about one of my best friends. I've been asking myself why bad things happen to great people and I've been so furious with God for letting this happen. I alternate between fury at God and begging Him for comfort and healing for my friend. Probably not the greatest combination of feelings and requests, but at least it's honest.

If you pray, or even if you don't, start now and please pray for my friend. She needs a miracle. My heart hurts for what she is going through and also for her family. And also for me. I am selfish. Nothing bad should ever happen to my friends. I want all of my friends to have the very best lives that the world can offer. They have all worked hard, done all of the right things, and they deserve to be happy. Every time I think about her I just want to cry because she is having to go through this, but I am also filled with so much hope for my friend.

She is a fighter and I pray that she can fight this.

Post Secret Blog

2009-10-21T10:59:00.002-05:00

Has anyone ever been to a Post Secret event? There is one coming soon to my city and I'm planning to go.

I am a habitual Post Secret reader. I have to check out the new secrets every Sunday. This blog fascinates me for some reason. Some of the secrets are heart breaking. Others are motivational. Many of them are just hilarious. The cards are so artistic and creative and I admire the people who share their secrets.

Post Secret Blog

What do you think about Post Secret?

Recipe: Cranberry Brisket

2009-10-19T10:23:00.002-05:00

Brown a ~4 lb brisket on all sides in 2-3 T olive oil for 5-7 min in a large skillet.

Add brisket to crock pot with the following:

1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberries
1 can cranberry sauce
1 large chopped onion
3 stalks chopped celery
3 chopped carrots
1 T minced garlic
Add a little seasoning salt and pepper.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Enjoy!

Flashback for Fall fashion!

2009-10-16T10:33:00.003-05:00

Today is the first day I have been cold enough to wear a jacket this fall!

So, I found my jean jacket...

(this is from eBay because I don't know where my camera cord is)

I love it. It's my dad's Levi's jean jacket from the 60's. He wore it in middle school and somehow he managed to keep it around all these years. I swiped it from him when I was in college and I've had it ever since.

These things are pricey on eBay but I would never sell mine. It will always remind me of my dad. Even though he's hundreds of miles away from me and he can be difficult at times, he's always been a great dad and I am so thankful for him.

Is anyone else breaking out a jacket yet?

Wednesday ramblings

2009-10-14T09:26:00.003-05:00

* I am SO over the rain. It's freaking depressing outside.

* I really want someone to clean my house for me. It's gross.

* Big choices have to be made very, very, very soon and there is no perfect choice.

* Any time spent running is the best part of my day lately.

* I can't believe Coach Mo went home on The Biggest Loser!!! I can't stand that Tracy chick!

* I have rediscovered The White Stripes and their music makes me happy.

Weekend recap

2009-10-12T13:13:00.002-05:00

I had a lovely weekend even though my husband was out of town for part of it. I hate it when he's gone, but I try to make the most of things even though I miss him.

Friday night:
I went to dinner with a friend to celebrate her birthday. She's holding steady from this point on at 29 years old. ;-) We ate a very gluttonous dinner (see previous post for food addiction highlights) at the Macaroni Grill! It was heavenly.

Saturday:
The morning was spent at the Race For The Cure 5K run. I woke up early, looked out the windows to find a grey rainy sky and seriously thought about going back to bed. I'm so glad I got up and participated in the race instead! I went by myself and ran in the rain. The entire event was such a celebration. The fountains downtown were died pink, there were pink and white balloons decorating the park where the race began, and there were TONS of people!

The morning started off with a Survivor Parade. The survivors were grouped by years of survival, 0-1 years, 1-2 years, and so on. There were many ladies in the 30+ years category and they were all such an inspiration! At the end of the parade, they released several white doves and it was really a beautiful thing to see. All of those braves faces in pink were really moving to me and I had to wipe a tear away. I guess I was thinking about my aunt and wishing she could participate in such a parade. Even with a heavy heart, it was definitely not a sad event because there were so many people who had so much hope. After the survivor parade, they had some jazzercize warm-up aerobics at the starting line. It was hilarious. Let's just say that I felt better about my lack of rhythm when I watched the people around me!

There were signs to wear on your back to run "In Honor Of" or "In Memory Of" someone who had experienced a battle with breast cancer. I ran in honor of my aunt. She passed away in 1996. There were so many people with signs on their backs. Being part of this race to raise money for cancer research was an awesome experience. There were so many people cheering along the race course! It was amazing to have total strangers clapping and yelling encouragement for all of the runners! There were some characters running in that event- a guy in a hot pink tutu and pink tights, a group of teenagers who had spray painted their hair pink, and people with the Komen pink ribbons painted on their faces. The course was fairly flat too so I was excited about my race time (29:10 for any runners out there). There was even an accordion player doing the theme song to Rocky! I really need to put that on my iPod!

The hubs came home to drop off some laundry, spent his Saturday watching football, and then he was gone again Sunday morning.

Sunday:
I took hubs to the airport EARLY (shudder) and went back to sleep. Lazy Sundays are the best! After two cups of coffee and a morning with the DVR, I spent the rest of the day finishing the next book club selection:

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. (No spoilers here)
I enjoyed it. The story is told from a dog's perspective and it is an interesting way to look at the events that happen to his family. Dogs always manage to keep things in perspective. If only humans could be so lucky.

Then I went for a long run, played with the dogs, and watched Desperate Housewives and Mad Men.

Happy Columbus Day to all!

Fighting the Friday Fat

2009-10-09T13:09:00.003-05:00

I sooooo miss my 16 year old metabolism. I used to eat like a college frat boy when I was in high school and still maintain the same weight. Every single day of lunch in high school was spent at a fast food restaurant. Those were the days!

I'm lucky enough to have maintained a decent weight in spite of turning 30 (although I could lose ~~5 lbs~~ 10 lbs and my clothes would look a lot better).

But staying healthy is a CONSTANT battle for me! I LOVE unhealthy food. I mean, I could tear UP a Pizza Hut buffet if I let myself go wild! Or I would love to get something chicken fried, cover it in gravy, and maybe even put some butter on top of it... and then I could follow it up with a trip to Dairy Queen! Calories don't count on vacations and I let myself splurge on occasion, but most of the time... I resist the temptation.

I'm eating a 250 calorie lean cuisine for lunch. I will have an apple for my afternoon snack. But it sucks and I would rather have a cheeseburger!

So ladies...

How do you stay healthy?
Do you crave bad food like me?
What are your motivations for eating right & exercising?

To answer my own questions:

I eat healthy 90% of the time. (Special K for breakfast, Lean Cuisines for lunch, sandwiches or grilled chicken for dinner, as well as snacking on fresh fruits, granola bars, and low fat string cheese).
I enjoy exercise! (most of the time anyway)... I love the way I feel after I finish a run. I want to live a long, happy life so I need to be healthy to do this. Plus, if I am trying to be healthy, it encourages my husband to eat right and exercise as well. For the first few years we were together, he lived on fast food and anything he could grab from the hospital cafeteria. Recently, he's eating Subway sandwiches and outrunning me on the treadmill. I'm so proud of him!

Cheers to good health!

Race for the Cure

2009-10-07T20:23:00.004-05:00

This is what I will be doing on Saturday morning!

From the Race for the Cure website:

Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul. Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the hospital, she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better for other women battling breast cancer instead of worrying about her own situation. That concern for others continued even as Susan neared the end of her fight. Moved by Susan’s compassion for others and committed to making a difference, Nancy G. Brinker promised her sister that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever.

That promise is now Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, we’re working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, and generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and fellow supporters, we have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

(http://ww5.komen.org/)

What a fantastic organization! I want to be a part of this and it will be fun to do another race!

I lost an aunt to metastatic breast cancer. The cancer began in her breast, then it went to her lung, and finally to her brain. She was a great lady who could light up a room with her laugh. She was one of the kindest and sweetest people you can imagine. She taught Sunday School at her church for decades. She made chocolate gravy for breakfast for her grand kids, nieces, and nephews. She helped me talk my mom into letting me stay out all night for my high school prom. Her time on earth was a gift to every life she touched.

So... if I can be part of something that supports research to END BREAST CANCER, you can bet I will do it!

Anyone else running this race?

Weekend in Nashville

2009-10-06T17:00:00.006-05:00

We saw Snow Patrol at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville this weekend. They were awesome! Plain White T's opened and they put on a good show. The performances were all phenomenal and we couldn't have asked for a cooler venue! The Ryman was the original home of the Grand Ole' Opry and every seat in this place is a good one.

We also took a tour of the Belle Meade plantation while we were in Nashville. It was beautiful and the tour guide was very informative. Many Kentucky Derby winning horses are descendants from a horse named Bonnie Scotland that was owned by this plantation.

We had to check out the famous Loveless cafe near Belle Meade and eat a ridiculous amount of food. Mass quantities of fried catfish, okra, sweet potatoes, chicken fried steak, mac & cheese, biscuits, and coconut pie were consumed here. It was pure gluttony and it was WONDERFUL!

We walked around the Honky Tonks downtown to try to recover from our lunch at the Loveless Cafe. Downtown Nashville is a blast! There is live music everywhere and it has a very "Vegas" sort of feel to it.

We are die hard OU fans so we had to find a sports bar where we could watch our Sooners lose. That game was a huge bummer. In spite of the loss, we enjoyed the Big River Brewery and got the beer sampler.

Seriously.... the beers were in little shot glasses so the evening wasn't as bad as it looked. The picture is too funny though! It looks like we had a REALLY good time in Nashville!

What a blast!