Fall 2013 book review

I've been a little late with this....
And having a baby doesn't make reading lots of books possible.  Half a dozen seems reasonable!

Inferno by Dan Brown, 3 stars

A very nice Dan Brown book with wonderful descriptions of Florence, Italy. I enjoyed this book and think it is a nice escape read.  It did talk a lot about biology and biomedical topics, so it would be great for anyone interested in those topics.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, 4 stars

I was hesitant to read this because I didn't want to have to read the complete series (yes, I'm a little OCD.) This was a great book. It had a nice ending that didn't make me feel like I had to read the other books. But, because I liked the book, I am planning on reading the rest of quintet. I would recommend this book to any one interested in science fiction or enjoy YA books like Hunger Games and Divergent.

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand, 3 stars

Not her best book, but it was a nice easy read while nursing my newborn!

Dust #9 by Hugh Howey, 3 stars

This was a nice way to wrap up the series. Lots of things were answered, especially how tall/high each level is! I wondered why it would take days to go up and down the silo. The author also left some things for you to ponder and imagine on your own.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth, 2 stars

Not a great book. You need to read it to finish the series, but if this was the first book, I would have skipped it. Again, I felt like the author was rushed to write this and the story was not developed. It was repetitive. On the positive side the epilogue was fantastic. Wonderful character building and brought the series to a nice ending.  Recommendation - speed read the first ~450 pages, then enjoy the last ~100pgs.

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger, 3 stars

I took this book with me to the hospital.  It was a nice easy read and relatable since Andy has a baby in the book.  It was fun to reconnect with the characters 10years later, especially since we are the same age and going through similar life events. Not a must read sequel book, but an easy, fun read for a vacation.

I am reading We Are Water by Wally Lamb, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.  This last book is hilarious!

What are you reading?  Any recommendations?

Enjoy!

ELH

A lot of WWW

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Life has been crazy!  Pardon my lack of posts.  I am hoping to do better!

Wed, Jan 1^st – We went for a family walk – 1.67miles, Squat Challenge Day 24 – rest

Thurs, Jan 2^nd – No clue what I did this day!  That’s what I get for not keeping up-to-date! I did do my squats - Day 25 – 7reps of each x5

Fri, Jan 3^rd – Run with Molly – 2.03miles in 19:18 (Mile 1 @ 9:24, Mile 2 @ 9:36), Day 26 – 6reps of each x3

Sat, Jan 4^th – Running with Molly – 3.07miles in 33:48 (Mile 1 @ 9:21, 0.41miles @ 9:13, 90sec walk break, 0.53miles @9:19, 0.59miles @9:32, and then 0.48mile walk home – had some new mommy issues), Day 27 – 9reps of each x4

Sun, Jan 5^th – Family walk – 1.88miles, Day 28 – rest

Mon, Jan 6^th – Day 29 – 12reps of each x3

Tues, Jan 7^th – Day 30 – 10reps of each x4

Wed, Jan 8^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights and 200 abs.

Thurs, Jan 9^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights and squats – 10reps of each x3

Fri, Jan 10^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights, 200 abs, and squats – 10reps of each x3.

Sat, Jan 11^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights, 200 abs, and squats – 10reps of each x3.

Sun, Jan 12^th – Family walk – 1.79miles, arms with 5 and 10lb weights, and squats – 10reps of each x3.

Mon, Jan 13^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights and 200 abs.

Tues, Jan 14^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights and 200 abs.

Wed, Jan 15^th – Off day

Thurs, Jan 16^th – Family walk – 2.07miles and arms with 5 and 10lb weights.

Fri, Jan 17^th – A different “Short” Morning workout – 80 jumping jacks, 20 push-ups, 40 sit-ups, 50 squats, 20 lunges (per leg), and 60sec wall sit.  And then 200 more abs.

Sat, Jan 18^th – Running with Molly – 3.07miles in 28:22 (Mile 1 @ 9:27, Mile 2 @ 8:52, and Mile 3 @ 9:21) and then the Short Morning workout.

Sun, Jan 19^th – Family walk – 2.08miles and the Short Morning workout.

Mon, Jan 20^th – Family walk – 4.03miles (1.8miles with just Baby P and then 2.4miles with G and Molly) and arms with 5 and 10lb weights.

Tues, Jan 21^st – Morning run with Molly – 2.01miles in 19:39 (Mile 1 @ 9:41, Mile 2 @ 9:53), I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights and 200 abs in the evening.

Wed, Jan 22^nd – Off day

Thurs, Jan 23^rd – In the morning I did the Full Body Circuit from Pinterest and 200 abs.  I did try to take baby P for a walk, but we only made it 0.65miles – he was not having it.

Fri, Jan 24^th – Forgot to turn my alarm on, so we over slept!  Opps

Sat, Jan 25^th – Running with Molly – 3miles in 30:05 (Mile 1 @ 9:55, 0.67miles @ 9:56, 90sec walk break, 0.25miles @9:24, 1mile @ 9:33)

Sun, Jan 26^th – Family walk – 2.10miles

Mon, Jan 27^th – Morning run with Molly – 2.14 in 20:57 (Mile 1 @ 9:46, Mile 2 @ 9:52, and 0.14miles @ 9:32) and 200 abs.

Tues, Jan 28^th – Snow Jam 2014!!  I was one of the crazy people stuck in their car for 10+ hrs.  This deserves it’s own post!

Wed, Jan 29^th – Walk with Mom, baby P, and Molly in the snow – 1.41miles

Thurs, Jan 30^th – Work was closed, so we went to an outdoor mall area in the afternoon and walked around.  Needed to shake out that cabin fever.

Fri, Jan 31^st – Back to work!  My mom and baby P shared germs and both ended up getting sick.  P had a fever when I got home, so we didn’t walk.  I cuddled with him and napped.  Probably not the best idea, since I ended getting sick.

Sat, Feb 1^st – The flu hit!  I was cold and extremely achy.  I ended up sleeping much of the day.

Sun, Feb 2^nd – The aches are gone, but still sick – heading towards a cold.

Mon, Feb 3^rd – Cough and running nose.  I ended up using a whole box of Kleenex!  And spent the day in bed.  Gross.

Tues, Feb 4^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights and 200 abs.

Wed, Feb 5^th – I did 200 abs, 25 push-ups, and 25 dips

Thurs, Feb 6^th – I did arms with 5 and 10lb weights, 200 abs, and 25 push-ups.

Fri, Feb 7^th – Morning workout –

3x {25 push-ups (on my knees)

       30 crunches

       50sec wall sit

       10 dips

       45sec plank

       30 lunges on each leg

       15 squats}

Sat, Feb 8^th – Ran 3miles in 29:56 with Molly (Mile 1 @ 9:29, 0.47miles @ 9:29, 2min walk break, 0.42miles @ 9:14, 0.17miles @ 10:04, 1min walk break, 0.78miles @ 9:28) and then did a cool down walk with the family – 1.76miles.  Still recovering from the flu/cold and lack of working out, so I took more walking breaks than I would have liked.  But I am feeling better and am on the up and up!

Sun, Feb 9^th – Family walk in the morning – 2.9miles and arms with 5 and 10lb weights and 200 abs in the evening.

Enjoy!

ELH

January 2014 Mileage

January was a slow workout month.

It was busy with work, travel, Snow Jam, and illness.

Sick Mommy and baby.

Running - 15.32miles

Walking - 17.97miles

Yearly totals - 

15.32miles running

17.97miles walking

Swimmer

This article popped into my FB feed the other day and I love it.

15 signs you're a recovering swimmer

Not everything is true for me - never really wore swimming shirts, not nervous when my alarm clock rings, but nervous that I haven't turned it on.  I check it multiple times before going to bed!  My hair color has been mostly the same.  At my first bikram yoga class, I was told in a stearn voice there is no talking - crap.  I'm tired of not talking and I am really good at having a 2hr conversation in 30sec bursts every 2minutes.

Any other recovering swimmers out there?
or other athletes?

Enjoy!
-ELH

Mixed nuts - Baby P edition

Passed out on daddy!

Gallery wall.  I really like how it is turning out.  The clock is set to the time he was born.

Eating is "4month old" sticker!

First gifts from Citrus Lane and an Arti-tail.

Baby love - P and his cousin S - she is a month older than him!

His new knitted hat from a friend.  She is an awesome knitter.

Holding Daddy's hand on the plane home.  He slept the whole way home!

Baby teeth!

Brrrr

I know...Polar Vortex blah blah blah.

It is just down right cold where we live - no snow or rain, just sun and 12degs.  I am ok with snow and cold.  Grew up with some snow (6-12" total a season) and survived the 81+ inches of snow in the DC area in 2009-2010, so when schools here closed in advance because of the cold temperatures, I laughed!  That is crazy.

I shouldn't have laughed.

Sometime before ~5:45am this morning, our heater went out.  I woke up at 5:45am and felt a little cold - the house temp was 66 and the thermostat was set to 69.  Not good.
I turned off the thermostat and pumped.  ~20min later, turned it back on and nothing. The first option when something electrical isn't working, turn it off, let it rest (meaning let it reset), turn it back on.  Take that PhD in electrical engineering and having a former IT help desk hubby!

We called G's dad and he said he would be there in an hour to look at it.

By the time he got to the house, we were at 61.

G's dad figured it was a bad thermocouple, so he went to the Depot (adding Home is just too many letters to type or say) and got a replacement part.  I took the baby to daycare.  It is warmer there!  Not the baby P needs it - he is a little heater who would rather be naked than in clothes. 

Around 12:30pm, the heat was back on!  The house had gotten down to 52deg.  Brrr.
Seems to be working as we are now at 61deg.

Note to self - do not privately mock decisions people make about cancelling things because of the weather!  It will undoubtedly bite you in the a$$.
Or for that matter, make fun of hubby's new car which has a heated steering wheel!

Happy 2014!!
Enjoy!
-ELH

Happy 2014!! and December mileage

Tired baby P on Christmas morning.  Check out those socks!!

Running - 17.46miles

Walking - 16.86miles

Yearly totals - 

200.17miles running

367.31miles walking

I met my running goal for the year!  200 miles.  This is down 202 miles from 2012, but baking a tiny human will do that.  On the plus side, walking was up 100 miles!

I am not sure what running and walking goals I will have in 2014 (full-time job and baby don't leave a lot of extra time, but I'll figure it out!) As I type, I think doing a fall 1/2 marathon seems like a good goal, but we will see.

I wish you all a great, happy, and healthy 2014!

ELH