A Weekend of Firsts

This past weekend I went to St. Louis to run the Rock 'n Roll half marathon. Among the "firsts" from this trip included: touring Busch Stadium, eating a bacon wrapped hot dog, setting a personal best in the race, going up to the top of the arch, and meeting my college friend Aimee's beautiful new baby Moriah. 

But most importantly, the biggest "first" involved a dog.

So when driving back Jessie and I decided to stop at the same gas station in northern rural Missouri that we had stopped at on the way down. We pull into the parking lot and I say "ugh! what person lets their dog wander around in the gas station parking lot not on a leash?"  I get so frustrated when dogs are not on a leash especially in a busy location.  So I pump gas and realize this dog is trotting towards me.  I panic because I don't want the dog to get hit by a car, so I try to get her to come near me. She does and the people next to me say "she's been here all week. We come here twice a day and we have seen her for many days." What???? These people have just been letting this dog run around a gas station for days?  I have a deep pit in my stomach.

Now the dog has run into the gas station and I follow her in so I can chase her back outside. The woman working says someone has DUMPED the dog at the gas station over a week ago. Who does this??????

By the time I walk back to the car, I know what's about to happen. There is a family standing by their car and the mom says "just take her home" and the guys on motorcycles say "I would take her if I wasn't on my bike." Jessie and I look at each other and without speaking....put the dog in the car. There was NO way I could have left the dog there to die.

She was calm, sweet, mellow, chill, happy, and content. The next day she went and got a rabies shot and a bath/groom/haircut. Now check out the cutie...SO CUTE!

Have you ever "saved" anyone or any animal? It is the most amazing feeling in the world. I know all animal lovers can relate, but they talk to you. My first dog Rio jumped right into my car when I adopted her from a family I did not know and I knew that I was "saving" her. With this dog, she nuzzles up to me and Jessie like she's saying thank you. When we looked through the glass at the groomer's she sprinted across the floor and put her nose up to the glass. Her eyes say it all. "Thank You" 

I have to say, picking up an abandoned dog at a gas station was the best "first" thing I have done in a long time.

Remember, picking up a dog is not the only way to save someone. It can happen at any moment, at any time, and with anyone.

"To the world you may just be one person but to one person you may be the world."

Have a great weekend as fall (aka snow) has hit Minnesota. Hug those you love and save a dog :)

As always, if you enjoy my blog, do me the honor of passing it on to friends and family.

More Fun

So apparently I took my own advice last week about having fun because after I got back from vacation, I just continued to have fun.

• My very first Minnesota Landscape Arboretum visit on a beautiful fall day.
• Painting ceramics at Color Me Mine (I am NOT an artist or very creative).
• Played Phase 10 at Chatterbox with friends
• Valley Scare (haunted houses and roller coasters)
• World's Largest Corn Maze Run
• Fall fun including pig races, launching pumpkins through a cannon, laying in a corn pit, and jumping on a giant air pillow
• LYNX WNBA play off game
• Talked on a professional panel to a group of seniors at St Cate's
• 3 movies (Trouble with the Curve, Here Comes the Boom, and Perfect Pitch). All were fantastic.

Arboretum

Valley Scare

Corn Maze Run

Pumpkin Cannon

Corn Bin

Giant Pillow Jumping

MN LYNX

Pig Races

Arboretum

But the best example this week of having fun starts with "gangnam style" Below is the music video to watch so you have an idea. This guy is from Korea and made this video and it exploded in around the world. One night a couple weeks ago when I first watched the video I got out of bed at 11:15 to try the dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Now pause for a moment and picture an 80 year old woman doing this dance. Because that is the video you are about to watch. My best friend's grandma practiced the dance for weeks so they could do the dance together.  Three generations of women dancing to gangnam style. Amazing. She was choosing to have fun. (The video starts out a little dark but gets better).  

http://youtu.be/gR-JquF_pfk

Take a moment to read this article about laughter to remind yourself why it is so important.

http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

Happy fall, go eat or drink some pumpkin and remember to laugh.

Lindsey

Too Much Fun

This last week I traveled out East to visit my friend Kendra from Truman who live in Pittsburg and also on to visit two of my brothers in Maryland.

It has been two years since I have seen Kendra. We ate great food, drove to a beautiful lake, went power shopping, made a veggie jack o lantern, went to a birthday party, ate more great food, ate Pittsburg popcorn (amazing!!), drank tons of coffee (me), and enjoyed catching up. Too much fun.  No matter how much time passes with out chatting, we can always pick up where we left off.

Then I had my first Mega Bus experience. Now I have never been on the bus before and heard a few horror stories. It picked up at the Pittsburg Convention Center and dropped off in Frederick, Maryland. As normal before a road trip and after a large cup of coffee I have to use the bathroom. So I have about 20 minutes before we load up and I wander through the convention center...with my suitcase in tow. I end up wandering through the Pediatric Oncology and Heptology Nurses Convention to find a bathroom. They looked at me really funny....but success I found a bathroom! 

The bus was a hit. No puking on board by anyone, no screaming or crying kids. Just quiet, peaceful riding. Perfect solution.

I get to Maryland to hang with my older brother Blair and younger brother Derek. More good eating, relaxing, and catching up. 

One evening we played Monopoly. When was the last time you played Monopoly (if you don't have kids!)? I wanted to hang up the game when it started to feel too much like real life. I had $5 to my name and I was rounding the part of the board where Park Place had hotels built on it. (Rent was $900) "How am I supposed to get past all of these hotels without landing on it before pay day?" and then what happens? I get paid my $200 salary and I land on the "Pay Income Tax of $200" spot. Damn. So real life. It wasn't like that when I played when I was 10 years old.

But a big reason I went out was to run with Blair for his first half marathon. We committed to this back in the winter or spring. He did not start out as much of a runner...but I am. In my usual excited way about athletic endeavors I said 

• what a great idea!
• we can do it together
• it's ONLY a half marathon :)
• it will help you set a goal
• if you sign up, I'll come visit

And so we trained throughout the year and the day arrived. We went over pre race prep, clothing, eating, and our strategy. 

Strategy = run until you get tired and then walk.

Race morning came and it was gloomy, wet, rainy, and perfect. Us fair skinned people love the cooler weather. We started out, ran, walked, ran, walked, I took pictures, happily ran along, and encouraged him and we were already at mile 10! At mile 12 a lady walked by me and said

"You are having TOO much fun" 

She shook her head and laughed. She said.."I have been behind you guys the whole time watching you take pictures, run along, and laugh" I told her it was Blair's first race and she said "OOoohhh a race virgin...perfect" She was so funny and I guess I hadn't realized how much fun I as actually having. Such a great thing to share with my brother. And who says half marathons aren't fun???

 And we DID IT! His first (and surely not last) half marathon. We turned a non runner into a half marathoner.

So think about this? When was the last time someone observed you having TOO MUCH FUN? 


Here is an article for thought. It is about healthy habits for kids. But oddly enough they can fit adults too. My favorite suggestion - PLAY. Have FUN

http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2011/9/11/8-house-rules-for-healthier-kids.html

Have a great week. Now go out and have so fun and play.

Your One and Only Life

First of all - I LOVE fall.  Everything about it. The trees, the food, the new sweaters I bought, etc.  The leaves are turning colors and crunching on the ground.  My dogs lift their nose into the air and smell the freshness and then roll in the leaves.  

Hopefully you can all enjoy fall as much as I do. Drink a pumpkin spice latte or eat a pumpkin flavored food. It's good for the soul. 

But today's post comes from a movie I went to today.  "Won't Back Down" with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis. It is a movie about a mother whose daughter is suffering in a failing school. She partners with a teacher to take over the school because they care about their children being treated fairly and getting an education. I won't give away the ending....but go see it!!

A quote from the movie. "What are you going to do with your ONE and ONLY life?"

WOW. Ponder that quote for a minute. What are you going to do with your one and only life? How are you going to live? What is your legacy? How will you spend your days? What are your priorities? Whose life are you going to influence? Are you taking care of yourself? Are you treating your one and only body well?  

Blog is short and sweet this week.

What are you going to do with your ONE and ONLY life?

Go out and LIVE IT!!!!!