Merry Christmas

I hope you have a wonderful holiday with lots of family fun.
These are some pics of our holiday decorations....

New way to display some of my favorite cards from years past with Arti photo bomb!

Arti!

It wasn't until I took this picture that I realized half the tree was out!  I guess we will be on target.com on Dec 26th!

My baby Christmas tree and snowman family.

Mantel display!

1st Christmas wreath!

We bought everything super cheap a few days after Christmas last year.  I've been waiting ~11months to put them up!

Enjoy!
ELH

WWW

Mon, Dec 17^th – Bootcamp!!  We did 1min of jumping jacks, then 20 - squat jumps, burpees, push-ups, mountain climbers on forearms, side-to-side abs, and oblique abs.  The next round was 19, then 18…. I got down to 5 in the 1hour.

Tues, Dec 18^th – Tempo run – 3.5miles total

10min warm-up run – 1mile @ 9:22, 0.07miles @ 9:36

3 x {5min fast – 0.58miles @8:42, 0.58miles @8:40, 0.60miles @8:17

         2min easy}

0.36mile @ 9:18 warm-down

Wed, Dec 19^th – More bootcamp!!  And 1.82mile walk in the evening.

Thurs, Dec 20^th – Easy/rest day – We did walk Molly 1.14miles in the rain and I did some abs.

Fri, Dec 21^st – Long run!  6.0miles in 56:04

Splits –

Mile 1 – 8:52

Mile 2 – 8:51

Mile 3 – 9:07 (the cold and wind was starting to get to me)

2:10min walk break

0.9miles @ 8:51

0.22miles @ 9:10

0:50min walk break

0.74miles @9:09

1mile @9:23 (major head wind and a little hilly)

My legs felt ok.  The cold temp, wind, and some lingering congestion were worst part.  Can’t wait until everything feels 100%!

I did do a cool down walk with G and Molly – 1.81miles.

Sat, Dec 22^nd – We celebrated Christmas with the H side of the family today!  Merry Christmas!

Knitting

Some of my latest creations!

For my 6year old niece - 

And a scarf/could be made into a cowl for my SIL -
This bad bow took a long time!!  I started it at the beginning of October and finished it mid-Dec.

I used these pictures to show off my skills on my Raverly account.  It is like facebook for knitters!  Yes very nerdy.  I am also on Goodreads, if you want to check out my book recommendations.
Enjoy!
-ELH

33 weeks

You probably know that there are 52 weeks in the year.  G has been in Calgary for 33 of them!

I have been thinking about writing this post for a while, but just haven't had the strength.
G owns his own IT architecture firm that does back-end storage/server stuff.  They are the middlemen when it comes to implementing large company's storage solutions.  Most of the work can be done remotely, but these big company's like face time = on-site meetings = lots of travel.  Owning his own company and not working for "the man" has been one of his life long goals.  So I have to be supportive....

My family has only ever worked for "the man" and as a one of my besties said to me, "you were born in the black!"so the thought of owning your own business to me is scary.  I do sort of have a dream of opening a bakery, once I retire from the engineering world.  Have to put my PhD in electrical engineering to use! but that is many many many years away.

G started is new company adventure shortly before we got married and officially once we landed home from our honeymoon when the company he was working for locked out his account!  That is another story for another time.  Also at that time, I was working and living in Maryland part-time and flying home every 2 weeks for 2 weeks.  The plan was to move permanently home January 2011.  But somebody needed to have a solid job (remember the black thing?), so January turned into September 2011.  Tough, but Yay for being in the same house!

At that time G's company had started to get some major jobs, and as I moved home he started traveling to Dallas and Phoenix on a regular basis.  Then January 2012 rolls around and G is working for a major oil company in Calgary.  Great for the company!  Hard for me.  And G.  We are both home bodies.  We prefer the comforts of our house.

I can't begrudge this work.  It has honestly been wonderful for the company and has helped it grow in leaps and bounds in the last year.  The Christmas party in 2010 had 6 people (wives included), 2011 - 4 people (us and another owner and wife), this year 28 people (wives included)!  Amazing!

But it is has been very hard on me.  I try not to think about it. I put on a smile and say I am fine.  Things are fine! 

I saw this quote on pinterest - It is from this blog.

Great words to live by.

Even if someone is putting on a brave face, sometimes a hug is just what they need.

G's project in Calgary is wrapping up, but he still has his corporate apartment there and they have 2 projects they want G to work on in the coming year.  We have talked about this and again I am conflicted.  I know the company is important, but so is our marriage.  I like having G home.  Running a household alone is hard.  As it stands, G will go back to Calgary sometime in January for ~1week.  He has told the project manager for the next project that he can only be in Calgary for one week a month.  The PM replied with why?  "Because my wife wants me home.  She had to put up the Christmas tree all alone (after this I decided that decorating the tree is not fun and I actually don't like doing it.  Love all the other Christmas decorating.  Unwrapping the ornaments is fun.  Handing the ornaments to someone else to put on the tree - awesome!  Alone = sucky), she wants me home.  I need to be home."  Good man!

The project after that is more involved and will require more time.  The goal is to get other people in the company up to Calgary.... or move closer to Calgary....

The oil company will fly G or me up there every weekend, but there are not any direct flights.  You either connect in MSP or SLC.  Yes, I know many airport codes.  Calgary = YYC, Toronto = YYZ

I went up once on a Thursday and came back on Monday with a plague/killer cold that lasted about a month.  Not fun!  Moving closer to Calgary = direct flight = home more often!!  

I guess we will just see what the next year brings....and if you see me, give me a hug!

-ELH

Office update

I am 95% done with office!!  This post has some more before pics...

 

After.....

The recovered chair has a matching blanket.  Not as cute, but easier to wash!  I also made a matching dog bed for Molly!

And this is the 5% that needs work - G's stuff that he needs to go through and either trash or organize for storage in the attic and some artwork for that wall.

Maybe add some curtains.

And add more artwork to the collage.

 Notice the doors??  All of our interior doors were flat paneled and the previous owners had put holes in most of the them and just patched them up with drywall and paint.  Awful!!  Getting new doors (6 doors) and new hardware (we had a mix-match of gold, silver, round, oval, and square-ish door knobs) was on our eventual to-do list, but my MIL decided new installed doors would be our Christmas present!  Her goal was to have them done before my parents came for Thanksgiving.  So within a 72hr period, we picked out the doors and hardware (antique bronze finish) and they were installed by the door fairy (AKA my FIL).  Goal accomplished!!  Now I just need to sand and paint them.... maybe after the new year.
I am also thinking about adding painted detail to some of the doors as suggested by project #29 in Young House Love's book!

Now some detail pics -
The middle artwork is my favorite flower and is a print I got when I went to Hawaii with my family in 2003.
On either side is artwork (actually blank greeting cards) I got in Calgary from a Canadian artist.  The green/teal goes well with the bookshelf paint and rug.

I really like how the bookshelves came out.

Another beauty shot!  

I know the rug is pushed back a little too much, but until G sorts through his junk, I mean precious stuff, this is the best fit!

I really like how the room came out.

Grey paint is my favorite!

The wall paint is Bedford grey and the bookshelf is Rainforest, both by Maratha Stewart.

The rug is from USA Rugs and is Surya Jill Rosenwalk Fallon in turquoise.  I had a groupon for it, so it worked out to be a little less than $200.

What updates have you been up to?

What updates do you want to do?

Enjoy!

-ELH

2 weeks worth of workout wrap-ups

Mon, Dec 3^rd – Bootcamp in the morning, hanging up Christmas light in the PM!

Tues, Dec 4^th – 3.01 mile run in 27:44 in the morning and another 3.01 mile run in 28:26 in the evening.

Splits –

First run -

Mile 1 – 9:25

Mile 2 – 9:22

Mile 3 – 8:53

3.01miles in 27:44

Second run –

Mile 1 – 10:06

Mile 2 – 9:06

Mile 3 – 9:07

3.01miles in 28:25

Wed, Dec 5^th – Bootcamp with 1mile run on the treadmill (9min mile pace) and then 1.8mile walk with G and Molly in the afternoon.

Thurs, Dec 6^th – Unplanned off day…. Tired and starting to feel ill.

Fri, Dec 7^th – 9^th – All day conference and a full-blown cold to deal with.  Yuck!  We did do a lot of walking back and forth to different presentation rooms, poster sessions, and vendor booths.

Mon, Dec 10^th – Late day at the conference day for me, so I took Molly for a 3.05mile walk.

Tues, Dec 11^th – Last day of the conference!  And a 3.0 mile walk in the afternoon in 27:06. 

Splits –

Mile 1 – 9:07

Mile 2 – 8:56

Mile 3 – 8:59

3.00miles in 27:06

This was my first run in a long time that felt great.  My legs didn’t feel tired and the cold wasn’t bothering me.  Did I just break through my running brick wall??  I hope so!

Wed, Dec 12^th – Back to bootcamp in the morning and 2.04mile walk with Molly in the afternoon.

Thurs, Dec 13^th – 3.01mile run in the morning!

Splits –

Mile 1 – 8:53

Mile 2 – 8:58

Mile 3 – 9:02

3.01miles in 26:58

Fri, Dec 14^th – Tired, so no bootcamp.  We did walk 2.22miles in the evening with Molly.

Sat, Dec 15^th – Long run day – 5.21miles in 50:01.

Splits –

Mile 1 – 11:15 (I don’t think my watch was working correctly, because at 1.5miles my watch said I had only gone 1.25miles in 13:30, which would put my pace at 9min miles….I guess I need to run the update on my watch.)

Mile 2 – 9:06

Mile 3 – 9:02

0.49miles @ 9:12

1:08 min walk break

1mile @ 8:59

0.46miles @ 9:09

0.20miles @ 8:50

This wasn’t a great run – tired legs and still fighting some cold congestion.  Really hoping running becomes fun again…

On another note – My yearly mileage is at 377miles!  Pretty sure I can get to 400….

I did do a cool down walk with G and Molly – 1.77miles.

Sun, Dec 16^th – Decided to sleep in and spend some quality time with G and our furr-kids.

November Mileage

Running - 18.67miles

Walking - 37.02miles

Matching shoes - ours and my parents!

Yearly totals - 

Running = 357.19 miles

Walking = 235.26 miles

 

If I can run 42.81 miles in December, I'll be at 400miles for the year.  Not bad considering my foot!

Enjoy!

-ELH

Happy Birthday

to my bestie!

This post said it all and I am lucky to have you in my life.
Love You!
-ELH

WWW

Mon, Nov 26^th – Lazy day – just walked 2 miles with Molly.

Tue, Nov 27^th – Bootcamp in the morning, running in the afternoon.

Spilts –

Mile 1 – 9:43

Mile 2 – 9:30

Mile 3 – 9:32

Total - 3.01 miles in 28:50

Wed, Nov 28^th – More bootcamp.  It was another morning alone – I got my butt kicked!

Thurs, Nov 29^th – 3mile run on very tired legs!

Spilts –

Mile 1 – 9:38

Mile 2 – 9:13

0.29miles @ 9:36

2:24min walk – hilly run

0.58miles @ 9:23

Total – 3.01 miles in 29:28

Fri, Nov 30^th – Off/lazy day.  I needed it.

Dec, 1^st – 4mile long run, followed by 2mile cool down walk with Molly.

Splits –

Mile 1 – 9:22

Mile 2 – 9:21

Mile 3 – 9:15

Mile 4 – 9:24 (same hill as Thursday…good for the legs!)

Total – 4.00miles in 37:26

Dec, 2^nd – Bikram yoga!  I do love this class.

Fun stuff here!

ELH

Jimmy Fallon & Rashida Jones Parody One Direction, Gangnam Style & Rihan...

Hope this gets you in the Holiday mood!

WWW

Mon, Nov 19^th – Bootcamp all by myself!  I guess my other bootcampers were taking the week off.  It was fun with the one-on-one training.

Tues, Nov 20^th – 2.16mile walk with Molly in the morning and lots of fun eating in the evening with my parents!!  2^nd year in a row they have come for Thanksgiving.  I like the tradition!

Wed, Nov 21^st – Does shopping count?! 

Thurs, Nov 22^nd – 10^th annual Gobble Job (my third one) 5k with my mom and MIL.  We did it in 53:53! 5min faster than last year!

Fri, Nov 23^rd – 3mile walk with my mom and Molly in the morning.  We did more walking that night at the local botanical garden – Garden Lights.  Beautiful!

Sat, Nov 24^th – Another morning walk with my mom and Molly – 3.25miles in 1hr 2min.  I enjoy having a walking partner!

Sun, Nov 25^th – Everyone went home, so I went to Bikram yoga, did lots of laundry, and took a well-deserved nap!  Great Sunday!

Enjoy!
ELH

Happy Thanksgiving!

Source

We are starting the day with a 5k Turkey trot (walking with my Mom!) and then tasty food with our extended family (want to know a secret - I'm 30+ years old and haven't ever ever cook a full bird!  I would like to continue with that streak!)
I am thankful for many things this year including my health, G being home when he can, G's company success, family, and friends.

I hope you have a wonderful thankful day!
-ELH

Hobbies

This past year I've taken up knitting

Blanket for G's famous cousin's son!

Cuddle cloths for my besties babies!

Socks - 1st knitting in the round.

and G has started to collect bourbon....

We bought a cabinet from Nadeau - a sort of local/national furniture store that I love!  My night stand is from Nadeau and they sell matching TV stands and china cabinets.  I want them all!!

Yes that is alot!

Moving the booze to the cabinet freed up kitchen cabinet space and I can now display some of our lovely Waterford crystal glasses.  Win-win.

Pardon my workout clothes - Bootcamp in the morning.

I am just not sure about all the rest of a furniture in the dining/living room...
We usually put the Christmas tree in that room, so I am not going to worry too much about how everything looks right now!

What hobbies have you taken up this year?
Enjoy!
ELH

WWW

Mon, Nov 12^th – Scheduled day off!

Tues, Nov 13^th – Unexpected day off – lots going on around the house and at work.

Wed, Nov 14^th – Bootcamp!  I really love this morning session. 

Thurs, Nov 15^th – Morning run with one of my co-workers and trying out my new shoes!

Splits –

Mile 1 – 10:33

Mile 2 – 9:51

0.76miles @ 9:23

total – 2.76miles in 27:31 – Not too bad…

And an evening walk with G and Molly – 1.78miles.

Fri, Nov 16^th – Morning walk with G and Molly – 1.76miles.

Sat, Nov 17^th – Long run day! And by long run, I mean 3miles! 

Splits –

Mile 1 – 9:16

Mile 2 – 9:14

Mile 3 – 9:08

Total – 3.0miles in 27:39

It felt pretty good, so I think this distance will now be my easy run and try to do 4!

Cool-down was a 2.39mile walk with G and Molly.

Sun, Nov 18^th – Bikram yoga in the morning and a possible walk with G and Molly after some football.

Enjoy!
-ELH

Another quick art project update

Remember when I painted a bunch of wooden things back in August?

I painted that bird house planning on doing something else with it.  But then it sat and sat and I finally decided to do something else with it.  I tried drawing the owl and tree and some flowers on it and it was awful!  So I decide to keep it like it is and paint it's brother in an opposite manner.  Grey roof, teal walls. 

I think they look cute and great outside.

Now I need to get some bird seed to out inside to attract a bird family.

That was an easy project that took ~6months from purchase to done!  Busy life!

Enjoy!

-ELH