Leanne...the walker

2011 Day 3

2011-11-07T10:45:00.000-06:00

Day 3 is finally here! I opened my final card from my sweet husband - he's written me a card for each day of the walk. They encouraged me and reminded me why I'm walking - for our child, our family, for a world without breast cancer.

We got an extra hour of sleep and woke up to pack our bags and get ready for day 3! Courtney's finance, Philip, was picking up our luggage from our room (AWESOME!) so Dad came up to our room in the morning with his luggage as well. We were all hurting (Dad and I more than Courtney and Jessica) but were ready to tackle day 3!

Our angel Laurie drove us over to camp again on Day 3. We met a bus at camp that drove us to the start of the route. The school bus drive wasn't the most ideal - especially since we all get car sick, but we made it! I was sore, just going to take it a mile at a time, but I was excited for the new day.

We were definitely walking slower today, but no one seemed upset about that. We were still towards the front of the pack, but taking it easy was awesome. Before long, we were at the first cheering station - donuts, crying, children, and Philip!

Day 3 was the toughest day for me. My feet were swollen and my shins were really hurting. I was determined to keep walking as long as none of the pain was baby related. We pushed on!

Lunch was really late on day 3 - not until 13 miles. We rested at a lot of the pit stops, taking our time. I was struggling towards the middle of the morning, but rested, took it easy, and pushed on. The cheering stations and other stories really kept me going. Shin splits don't need chemo, sore feet don't require radiation, and the baby was fine. We walked on!

Another cheering station kept us going. I cried a lot. I couldn't believe I was doing it. I was overwhelmed with the incredible mileage I'd covered, the difference that we were all making. Courtney's rockstar fiance was at the final cheering station as well!

I secretly hoped I would find a way to get to every cheering station. I wasn't going to push it or hurt myself or the baby, but I love cheering stations so much! I was thrilled that I'd made it through each cheering station. I saw lots of incredible people - cheerers are my inspiration!

We finally got to lunch - 2.2 miles away from the end! I wasn't sure I was going to make it to lunch and I was thrilled we got that far. We were all hurting, but everyone was rocking it. It was a very moving day. Lunch was a great rest for me. I knew the last few miles would be would be incredibly challenging. 2.2 miles has never felt longer! I hurt but drew on the inspiration around me - from my family, supporters, and the drive to finish. Before long, we were walking into Fair Park. Finishing with the baby in my belly was incredible - people were so excited. We'd done it! Jessica, Courtney, Dad, and I finished together. I sobbed the whole way through. We picked up our t-shirts, met up with our team, and took our pictures!

We danced, cheered, rested, and waited for Closing Ceremony to begin. It was awesome - such a rush of emotions. We watched teams cross the finish line together. We saw incredible men and women cheer and complete the event. Seeing women in their pink survivor shirts gets to me every year. Survivors are honored by their pink shirts so they are easy to spot. Each year I participate I feel like the survivors get younger and younger. That's why I walk.

Before long, it was time to line up for closing! We lined up and headed towards the stage. While we were there, we walked through the whole crew team, which is overwhelming. They work far harder than anyone else (but the staff!) and have such a great attitude. I was worried I'd get a hard time from the medical crew for walking, but they were incredibly supportive. While we were walking through a medical crew woman jumped out of line, gave me a big hug, kissed my face, and thanked me for walking. I lost it. I am so proud to be part of something this awesome.

I think closing ceremony this year was the most moving I've experienced in a long time. Knowing this was Jarrod's first closing ceremony was incredible. It was the only part of the 3-day he hadn't experienced and I was so glad to know he was somewhere out in the crowd. Having my dad and Jessica there was awesome as well. I know that they had a GREAT experience and this was just the icing on the cake. When the survivors came through and we removed our shoes in their honor, I am so inspired by those women.

There were about 3,100 walkers and 450 crew members. Together we raised $7.1 million for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and are that much closer to a world without breast cancer. I couldn't be more proud of the walkers, supporters, crew, staff, etc. for such a wonderful event. Life-changing, for sure. My life, our baby's life, and hopefully the world. Praying for a world without breast cancer.

I will continue to walk until we find a cure. I'm registering for next year - will you walk with me?

2011 Day 2

2011-11-07T10:06:00.001-06:00

I woke up a little early on Day 2 and decided to take a bath to loosen up my tight muscles. Because we scored a ride to camp from our team walker angel, we didn't have to get up all that early so we took our time getting moving. I was hurting, sore, and stiff, but Jessica and Courtney were both rocking. Dad met up with us in the lobby and we rode over to camp. We are so thankful for Laurie who graciously drove us to camp so we didn't have to wake early for a shuttle.

We arrived to camp and got in line to walk. We scored a few bananas, but decided not to wait in line for a hot meal. I'm sure it was great, but getting on the route early was more important to me. Before long, we were on the trail! Dad and I were both hurting, but were taking it one step at a time. We hauled to the first cheering station, ready to see our family!

Saturday cheering stations are absolutely incredible. They are full of the most wonderful people ever. Children, babies, women and men battling cancer, those who have suffered incredible loss, puppies, and supporters with donuts. I was so thankful to make it to another cheering station. Still hurting, but taking it one step at a time.

Before long, we were 11+ miles in and at lunch. Again, I wasn't sure I'd be able to go much beyond lunch. Dad was done and after lunch hopped on a bus back to camp. He wanted to be sure to be healthy enough to walk on Day 3 so he listened to his body and quit a little early. No shame!

Lunch again was awesome. We met some new friends and heard a story of a woman who went into labor at lunch. Mixed messages, but basically her water broke at lunch and by the time the ambulance got to her the contractions were 2 minutes apart. She was 9 months along and baby was ready! Of course we heard the story, and various other rumors surrounding it, for the rest of the walk. Folks were worried it was me - definitely not me! This baby isn't ready yet.

There was a cheering station shortly after lunch that I really wanted to get to. I was still hurting but thought I could make it another mile or so. While we didn't see anyone we knew at this cheering station, it was absolutely incredible. So many tears. The cheering stations really keep me going! Of course I drew a lot of attention at cheering stations. I heard everything from "Oh my!!!" and "She's PREGNANT!" to "Way to go, walking for 2!" The best thing I heard was "WAY TO GO, BABY!!" focused right on my belly. Definitely kept me going!

There was a pit stop just a mile after the cheering station and I made it there without any trouble, but knew that I was about done. Courtney and Jessica were still going strong but were thankful to be walking a little slower - I felt like I was holding them back, but they assured me it was a good pace. I considered quitting at the pit stop, but a cheering station was coming up and I thought I could make it. I'm glad I did, but once we got through the cheering station I knew that I was done. The cheering station was incredible, but didn't ease my pain enough to keep going the remaining 6 miles. I sat down on a bench at a street corner and waited to be picked up.

I know there is absolutely no shame in hopping a van and skipping a few miles. I encourage people to do it all the time. However, in 4 walks, I've never done it - I've always walked all 60 miles. Admitting defeat was very challenging for me. I know I'm pregnant and should be so proud of the miles I was able to go - and I am - but it was still a huge challenge for me. I insisted that Courtney and Jessica go on ahead. They made sure that the crossing guard and crew member knew I was in need of a van. I insisted that I was FINE, just done. Before long, a van passed and stopped at the intersection to pick me up. I met some great people in the van and am so thankful for awesome crew members for driving the vans and picking folks up! I even got a button.

I was so proud of Courtney and Jessica for going on ahead. They seriously rocked the walk and I couldn't be more happy that our baby is going to have two of the greatest women as aunts. I was sad not to join them on the last 6 miles, but was thankful to quit. The van dropped me at the next pit stop where I hopped on a bus back to camp. I called Jarrod and tried not to cry. I'd made it 15 miles on Day 2 and he was thrilled that I was taking care of myself and baby.

Back at camp I relaxed, got a foot massage, and chatted with new friends. Within about 2 hours, Jessica and Courtney were headed in. I cheered them in and we got our picture taken - 40(ish) miles down!

Seeing this picture makes me realize why people are so shocked when they see me at cheering stations - I'm really huge!

After taking this picture, we hobbled over to grab dinner. Dad was already at the hotel relaxing, so he missed another delicious meal at camp. We had grilled chicken with veggies, pasta salad, potatoes (sweet, red, purple, etc!), salad, bread, and delicious desserts! I got a chocolate frosted brownie, Courtney got a caramel apple bar, and Jessica got a cookie bar with chocolate chips, graham crackers, and coconut...I had one of those later as well... ;-) Dinner was incredible.

After dinner, we hopped on the bus back to the hotel for a hot shower and relaxation! When we got back to the hotel we were met by Jessica's husband and best friend and her fiance. (She's getting married on Saturday!!) We chatted with them for a while - they were so encouraging! - before Courtney and I went up to the room to clean up. Courtney's finance was on his way to us so I showered up first while she waited for him. Before long, Philip was hanging out with us and then Jessica came back up to clean up too. Courtney and Philip went to visit with Philip's aunts who were also walking. I relaxed in bed, resting my swollen feet. Soon our teammates were back from dinner and I went to spend time with them. Hanging out at the hotel is definitely different than camp, but the fellowship is just as awesome.

Before long, we were ready to crash. I slept like a rock - tired after two days of walking and the emotional overload of the walk. There was still basketball doors slamming, but I ignored it and had a good night's sleep. Day 3 is almost here!!!

2011 Day 1

2011-11-07T09:31:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe it's finally here! The first day of the 3-day for the Cure is always one of my favorite days of the year and this year is no different. There is a new sense of excitement as I have this wiggly baby growing bigger and bigger inside of me. I was also thrilled to have two new walkers join us this year - my dad and sister-in-law!

I was tired when I woke up, but so excited for the new day! We packed up our stuff and were on the road by 5:15am to get Jessica. After a little bit of alarm-set-for-PM-not-AM drama, we were all packed up and on our way to opening ceremony! We arrived with plenty of time for pictures and hanging out before the ceremony began. I saw lots of great friends while we were waiting for things to get started.

Opening Ceremony was a beautiful event, as usual. It was very cold, but not quite as cold as last year. I sobbed through the ceremony, completely overwhelmed by the beautiful words, the courageous survivors, and the life growing inside of me. Before long, we were off!

Naturally, we were towards the front of the pack heading out of opening ceremony. Dad, Courtney, Jessica, and I stuck together. I wasn't walking quick and was definitely passed more than any other year, but felt good about what I was doing. I listened to my body and checked on the baby regularly. I was very nervous on the first day, having absolutely no idea what this amount of walking would do to me or the baby, but I took things one mile at a time.

Before long we were at the first cheering station - my absolute favorite part of the event!

The cheering stations are always emotional and overwhelming for me. Seeing women bald from chemo saying thank you is just too much for me. This year was even more overwhelming than any other year. I got a lot of attention with my huge belly. Lots of encouragement and lots of shock. Baby Johnston is a celebrity - people were so excited about walking with the baby. Seeing little ones out cheering really got to me this year. "My mommy walks so we don't have to" signs made me cry all weekend. Thinking about Jarrod cheering with our little one next year was incredible and kept me going.

After a few cheering stations, we were getting close to lunch. I was hurting pretty bad and was pleased I'd made it 10 miles. I was ready to hop on a bus at lunch and call it a day. However, after a delicious turkey and cheddar sandwich, delicious chips, an apple, and a cookie, I was ready to see if I could make it to the next cheering station. Lunch really helped me feel a lot better and I was prepared to take it another mile. Next thing I knew, we were back at camp! 17 miles down.

We were all hurting, but feeling really good. We made it back to camp by about 3pm. Jarrod already dropped our luggage back at the hotel - in our room! - and met us at camp to take pictures and spend some time with us. We hung out for about an hour while we waited for dinner. We said goodbye to Jarrod and got ready for a delicious meal. The new caterer this year gets my stamp of approval - dinner was incredible!!! Seriously, we had penne with marinara, meat balls, sausage with peppers, baked mac and cheese, veggies, Ceasar salad, tomato salad, bread, and our choice of delicious desserts - chocolate or carrot cake. YUM!!!

After dinner, the 4 of us hit up the bus to get to the hotel. I am a huge supporter of staying at camp and have camped for each one of the previous 4 walks I've done. However, being 31+ weeks pregnant, I knew camping wouldn't be the best option for me. For my own health, I knew I would be much better off at the hotel. And I have to say, it was a delightful decision. Baby was wiggling like crazy and I was finally able to calm down a little bit. My biggest concern was doing something to harm the baby and was conscious the whole time about how baby was handling the walk.

We got back to the hotel and took turns taking showers. We hung out with the rest of our team, giggling, eating sweets, and stretching. By 8pm we were ready to crash. The hotel bed and clean bathroom really made for a beautiful first night of the 3-day. While we didn't sleep as well as we'd hoped (thanks to a basket ball team slamming doors until well past 3am!) we did get some good sleep.

2011 Day 0

2011-11-07T08:57:00.000-06:00

Because this year I'm walking in the city where I live, Day 0 was a work day for me. I was at a conference in Dallas most of the day on Thursday. I was at a hotel that night before, which stressed me out in preparation for the 3-day. My bag was mostly packed at home when I left on Wednesday, but I was still nervous that I'd forget something or not have time to pack the rest of the things. I wanted to be sure to get enough sleep on Thursday night, knowing that the 3 days were going to be harder on my body that any other year. Thankfully the conference was very close to the airport and I was able to leave the conference and pick my dad up from the airport when his flight came in from New Jersey. We were on the road to home by 5:30pm for dinner.

When we arrived home for dinner, Jarrod had prepared a roast and potatoes. The house smelled incredible! Courtney had already gotten in from Oklahoma City, and we were starving! We ate dinner, got everyone ready for Friday morning, and went to bed - after a trip to Jarrod's office to print off Dad's credential and a trip to Target for some last minute supplies.

We were packed, relaxed (everyone had a little bit of wine...except me!) and watched The Office before crashing around 10pm. Unfortunately my mind was racing and I didn't get much sleep (Courtney didn't either) and the alarm rang very early at 4:15am!

Let's Get WALKING!

2011-09-27T09:16:00.000-05:00

My sister in law has committed to walking in the DFW 3-day for the Cure. She has been to closing ceremony twice and was so moved, even after hearing my horror stories of port-o-potties, swollen feet, and raising $2,300. She is married to my husband's brother and I couldn't have asked for a better family. She has given me two nephews, which is the greatest gift ever.

She's walking because she believes in a world without breast cancer. As we all know, fundraising is not easy. She's $295 away from HALF her goal of $2,300. I'm taking this on as a challenge to raise the funds TODAY! Will you consider making a donation of $8 for the 1 in 8 women in America that will be diagnosed today? Will you donate $35 to signify the cost of transporting a woman to treatment? Will you donate $60 in support of the 60 miles Jessica will walk in November? Will you donate in honor or in memory of someone you love? Let's get Jessica $295 TODAY!

A lonely 57th Mile

2011-09-20T09:43:00.000-05:00

I wrote a last week about how different this year's 3-day will be than years past. I'll literally be walking for 2, won't be camping, and for the first time, don't have the goal of walking all 60 miles. In addition, I've had to move someone very special from honor to memory. My heart breaks today because John is no longer physically with us.

Although not touched by breast cancer specifically, John is a huge motivation for me to walk. I wrote about John nearly a year and a half ago and the incredible inspiration that he was. My sister wrote on Saturday about John's impact on her life and how she was touched by his strength. John passed away on Sunday evening after less than two short weeks after making the decision to bring in hospice. After fighting prostate cancer for years, trying everything that he could, and going through a lot of painful procedures, there was little left to do. John was in intense pain in the end and I am so thankful that he's no longer suffering.

Jarrod and I had planned to go to Baton Rouge this coming weekend to visit John and Marie. Now we are going for John's funeral. We are incredibly sad, mourning the loss of an incredible man. This year when I hit the 57th mile, I'll walk it for John. I'll probably walk a lot of miles for John this year in hopes that this will be the first and last funeral our baby will attend because of cancer.

Smells like November

2011-09-13T11:56:00.000-05:00

After record highs and months of days in the triple digits, cooler weather has FINALLY hit North Texas. I couldn't be more thrilled. Walking in the cooler temperatures really reminds me of the 3-day. Walking in Dallas in November means we typically have beautiful weather that is cool (or sometimes FREEZING!) at night and in the mornings, but by mid-day the weather is warm and gorgeous.

When I woke up to cooler weather I smelled November. That glorious sign that the 3-day in DFW is almost here! I always like walking and training - it's good for my soul - but walking when it's cooler makes me so happy.

As the little one growing inside of me is getting bigger and more wiggly, walking has taken on a whole new meaning. I get teary at least 3 times a week while I'm training because I think about a world without breast cancer. I think about my child growing up knowing that if nothing else, I was part of the fight. I think about walking through cheering stations, 31.5 weeks pregnant. I dream about crossing the finish line, knowing that while I didn't walk 60 miles, I made a difference. That this baby and I made a difference in the fight to end breast cancer.

This November will be just as magical as the others. It will include gatorade, lots of pink, new friends, and swollen feet. This November will also be different - I won't walk 60 miles this time, but I hope to walk a lot! This November I'll walk with a constant reminder of why I'm walking and hopefully I can be a reminder to those around me that there is so much hope.

5 Kidneys Walking

2011-08-30T13:02:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't been very diligent about writing this year. It's not that I'm not dedicated, committed, and interested, it's just that I've written it all before. I have written about training, packing, fundraising, and blisters. I don't have any new news to share, so I've been fairly inactive. But, I'm still posting like crazy on our family blog - lots of new things going on there!

This year will be slightly different because I'll be walking with 4 kidneys and my sister will be walking with 1. I wish we could make t-shirts because I think that'd be so funny. Strange, but funny. As my baby belly gets bigger each day, I feel more called to continue the fight. I do not want this wiggly baby to ever fear cancer. I also want our child to know that Mama did everything she could to be part of the fight against cancer.

I am still actively training - I walk about 4 miles a day 5-6 days a week. When it cools off (which will happen sometime in the next 6 weeks, I hope!) I'll walk more. It's over 95 degrees by 8:30am and that's simply too hot to walk. It doesn't cool off until after 10pm, which is my bedtime. :-) Fall will come to Dallas soon and I'll be able to take longer walks without getting up at 3am!

Are you still out there? How is the training and fundraising going in your world?

The Pros and Cons of meeting my fundraising goal

2011-08-08T11:17:00.001-05:00

It's only been a few weeks, but I've neglected to share some exciting news with you! I have met and surpassed my $2,300 fundraising goal for the DFW 2011 3-day for the Cure! Each year I commit to raising $2,300 in order to participate in the 3-day for the Cure. Each year I am fearful about whether or not I'll be able to raise the funds. And each year I am blown away by the generosity of others and the wide-spread affect cancer has had on our lives. This year was no different. Because of donations from Dad and Marie, Monty and Mara, Jared and Alina, John and Marie, Lauren, Stephen and Conor, Pam and Marco, Renee, Brenda and John, Carol, Deborah, Todd and Shelley, Mika, Mary Lynd and Randall, Light, Mary, Sandy and Mike, Susan, and Kathy and Jim I have met my goal (plus some) with 13 weeks to spare!

As many of you know, in order to participate in the 3-day for the Cure, I MUST raise $2,300. This is not an arbitrary number that I come up with each year - it is the set fundraising minimum that each participant is required to raise in order to participate in the event. At Online Check-In if you have not met the minimum you have several options including payment plans that begin after the event, giving you even more time to continue fundraising. Putting your own debit/credit card on the line sure lights a fire under you to get to raising funds!

I am so thankful this year that I don't have to worry about fundraising or paying any funds out of our budget to meet the minimum. What this also says to me is that people are passionate about finding a cure. We are tired of cancer taking the lives of our loved ones. We don't want to live in fear anymore. There is something you can do to help. While we can't control cancer, we can be part of the fight. I am so thankful for the folks that have supported me on this journey for the past many years, but that also means that cancer is spreading. More people are being touched by cancer and want to help. If you want to donate, please consider making a donation to my sister, sister-in-law, best friend, or father. They are all walking, the money all goes to the same place, but they are all under their fundraising minimums and need help getting there. You can join them in the fight. If you need any more incentive to join us as we kick cancer's ass, please consider reading Bridget's latest chapter in the fight. She's a fighter, but she needs our prayers, dollars, and support. Donating to Courtney, Jessica, Renee, my dad, or another 3-day walker brings us that much closer to a cure.

Raising $2,355 this year is awesome. I am beyond thrilled to have surpassed my goal with several months before the event. However, this also means that cancer has spread. New families were affected. Cancer got worse. New treatments were started. Remission was reached and survivor status was attained. Lives were lost.

Take it easy.

2011-07-12T16:56:00.001-05:00

I don't take it easy. I walk 20 miles on shin splits as quickly as possible because I want to be sure that I get through all 60 miles. I work when I'm sick, push through illness, and walk through injury. I'm not the poster child for caring for my body when my body needs me to slow down. I move at a quick pace and rarely slow down.

When I was in 8th grade I was starting to get sick. I played through. I ran track in the rain and continued going to school. Finally, after a particularly difficult day, I came home and my mom took my temperature. 103. The following day she dragged me to the doctor's office and I had two ear infections and pneumonia. The doctor had never seen anything so bad in someone my age. Usually by the time you hit your teenaged years, you learn to communicate pain well before it escalates to that stage. I missed one day of school and was back on Monday.

I would never encourage anyone else to live this unhealthy lifestyle. I am constantly telling other walkers to take it easy, listen to your body, and slow down. It's not a race and walking 60 miles is NOT the goal. But telling myself that is an incredible challenge.

Pregnancy has forced me to change my outlook. Thankfully, I've been able to continue walking through the nausea, exhaustion, and mild discomfort. While I'm in the "magical" second trimester, I'm experiencing a great deal of pain. Yesterday my hips, lower back, and abdomen were so sore that I could barely walk to the kitchen, let alone walk 4 miles around the block! I was forced to take it easy and neglect my walking regime at least temporarily. It's interesting that it was also yesterday that I read a section of my new favorite book, "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" about exercise. The author takes a fairly negative approach to exercise, assuming to give the reader the freedom to neglect any strenuous exercise during pregnancy. While I have every intention to continue walking whenever possible (tomorrow!), it was definitely something that I need to hear.

"In pregnancy, the whole idea is to acknowledge that your body is now a baby-making machine" (102-103)

My job is not to walk 60 miles. My job is not to be as skinny as a pregnant woman can possibly be. My job is not to single-handedly find a cure for cancer. My job is to make a baby and do everything that I can to keep that baby safe and healthy. While this is a rational and practical thought, it is incredibly challenging for me to cut back on activity and not push myself so hard.

The same goes for walking. Our goal as 3-day participants is not to walk 60 miles. Our goal is not to raise $2,300. Pushing ourselves to walk farther than is safe or lose sleep over dollars is not healthy. Our goal is to aid in finding a cure for breast cancer. We do that in so many ways - offering support to someone going through chemo, wearing the pink ribbon, talking to people about the importance of early detection, raising money, walking in your community, and being part of something bigger than you are like the 3-day or Race for the Cure.

My goal for the next 5+ months is to grow a healthy baby. During that time I hope to walk, raise money, work, play, eat, and enjoy life, but above all, grow a baby! As you train, fundraise and walk (Hi, Boston!) over the next few months, remember that your goal is to raise awareness. Hop on that sag wagon with PRIDE and remember to take it easy.

3-Day walkers ROCK!

2011-06-23T12:08:00.002-05:00

Read Courtney's thoughts throughout the process of donating a kidney.

You've heard about my freaking awesome sister, Courtney, before. We've walked well over 120 miles together training for and participating in the DFW 3-day for the Cure. She's pretty much the coolest person ever.

Some of you know Abbie, fellow walker and all around rockstar. Abbie and I "met" on twitter and found that we had several things in common. When Abbie posted on her blog that her friend Bobbette needed a kidney, I paid attention. I am a firm believer in organ donation and I matched Bobbette's blood type. Courtney did too, so I sent her the link. We both went to get tested.

Courtney didn't procrastinate as long as I did, and made it to the top of the list. She went to Nashville to be tested further. She did research, had more tests, and spent more time in the hospital in Nashville and Louisiana than any healthy 25 year old should. In April Courtney was selected as a match and was given the option to donate her kidney to Bobbette.

She and I talked about it extensively. She talked it over with the important people in her life and ultimately made the decision to donate. The surgery was scheduled for June 23rd. While she was confident in her decision, she didn't want people to know. People tend to have two reactions to Courtney's decision - they are either confused and against it or they are inspired and hold Courtney in high regard. She didn't like either response. Many people questioned what she'd do if her one kidney failed. Or if a family member needed a kidney someday. Many people didn't understand. Courtney didn't care.

Courtney and Abbie.

Many people DID understand. As it turns out, while we were praying with and for Courtney, there were folks praying for Bobbette and her future donor. A fellow 3-day walker finally put two and two together, knowing that my sister was donating a kidney and Abbie's friend was getting a kidney today. Twitter buzzed with excitement and tears that the 3-day has brought two amazing people together to save a life. Then I found this: #BobbetteKidney. I sat at my desk and cried. People were praying for my baby sister. People were rejoicing that their friend was getting a chance at life because of this unnamed donor. Then I found an even better hash tag: #thankyouCourtney. And I'm done.

I could go in a million directions:

Courtney and Babbette just days after surgery.

The 3-day brought Courtney and Bobbette together. Without the 3-Day, I'd never have followed Abbie's blog, passed it to Courtney, and the rest is history.
My sister is a freaking rockstar. She's more selfless than she'll ever admit and more humble than anyone I've ever met.
Our baby is going to have the best aunt in the whole world.

Pregnant and walking

2011-06-20T19:51:00.000-05:00

I knew that this would be a challenging year. After the 3-day last year I was very hopeful that the 2012 walk would be especially challenging because I wanted to be pregnant. Because the walk takes so much training and is such a long process, being pregnant is going to effect one year or another. 2012 will be challenging, but by 2013, our baby will be 10 months old and will be perfectly happy cheering with daddy while mommy walks. (I just got tears in my eyes!)

Every pregnancy is different. I have no idea what the next 28 weeks will bring. Heck, I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow! I spent weeks 6-10 queasy and sick all day and night. Training wasn't challenging, but it wasn't fun because all I wanted to do was rest. Week 10 hit and I feel great - hungry ALL the time! Of course I'm tired, but I am perfectly capable of walking...

As long as I put my mind to it and get it done early. My body naturally wakes up by 6:15am, which gives me plenty of time to walk for an hour before going to work. An hour of walking doesn't take me quite as far as it used to, but I am walking. I'm up, so I might as well! I drink a protein, veggie, and fruit packed smoothie before hitting the road and eat a good breakfast before going to work as well. This usually helps with the hunger and keeps me going for about 4 miles.

While walking in the morning doesn't keep me quite as energized as it used to, I'm so glad that I get my walk in in the morning. By about 9pm I am so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open. It's 7:30pm right now and I am in my jammies resting in front of the TV. Waiting for the cool of evening to walk wouldn't work for me because I simply wouldn't go.

My belly is growing everyday. In the next month or so I will feel baby Johnston kick while I'm training. I know I'll have tough days, but feeling new life moving and growing inside of me is motivation enough to train.

I told Jarrod recently that being pregnant has made me more passionate about the things I'm already passionate about. I hate cancer, but now I HATE cancer and can't bear the thought of our little Beignet suffering the loss of cancer. It makes me angry and sad to think of cancer still being a threat when our little one hits kindergarten.

I'm just $90 away from my goal of raising $2,300 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. If you've already donated, thank you. Thank you for supporting me and the fight against cancer. If you haven't, please consider making a donation in honor of our unborn baby, in memory of someone who has lost their battle, or in celebration of a survivor.

Changes in 2011

2011-06-10T09:23:00.000-05:00

This is a big year in our family. I will be walking 31 weeks pregnant with our first baby. On or around January 4th, we will welcome baby Johnston, giving me a whole new understanding of why I walk. Each training walk I do, I get teary as I pray for our baby and for a world without breast cancer. When I was chosen last year to carry the "my children" banner, I knew someday I'd be proud that I walked for my children, but had no idea that I'd be able to feel our baby wiggling around inside of me as I walk in 2011.

I wrote last year about how excited I was to someday share this journey with our children. This year that is literally true. I will have the opportunity to physically share the journey with our baby as together we walk ~~60 miles~~ as far as we can.

If you know anything about me, you know I'm competitive. You know I'm a fast walker that enjoys hitting the trail early to get to the front. You know I am typically one of the first back to camp. While it's not a race, I enjoy being towards the front to fight the crowds. I am completely aware that 2011 will be unlike any other year I've walked in the past. While I'm only 10 weeks pregnant, I've already gotten slower. I'm hoping the 2nd trimester energy will help me pick up the pace, but I am not setting any mileage goals this year.

I will walk, God willing, at least some of the 3-day for the Cure. I will cross the finish line and will share miles with my friends. I will make new friends, forced to walk in a pack. I will wear a sign that says, "baby on board" so that even people from behind know there's a reason I'm walking slow. :-)

I promise to do everything in my power to raise awareness for breast cancer. Please consider donating. If you don't know anyone with breast cancer, donate so that remains true. If you know someone who is fighting or has fought, donate for them. If you believe in a future without breast cancer, donate for baby Johnston. I'll walk as far as I can at 31 weeks pregnant, all you need to do is donate. :-)

Walking this year will be different, but everything I do this year has been different. We moved. We got pregnant. Most of my energy is going to growing a human. It's different! I am excited about the journey, but most of all, I'm excited to share the journey with two Lindgrens, one Johnston, and baby Johnston. It's a very exciting year.

21 weeks and counting!

2011-06-10T09:09:00.000-05:00

I received my 21 week Virtual Trainer e-mail this morning reminding me that we're just 21 weeks away from the DFW 3-day for the Cure! I am $195 away from my goal and am determined to meet this goal by the end of the weekend. I realize I have a lot more time to meet my goal - until well after the 3-day for the Cure - but I am committed again to raising the money early so that I can help others meet their goals as well.

The first year I walked as a Lindgren - the only one from my family to walk. This year I am walking with two Lindgrens and another Johnston - there will be 3 other members of my family walking with me and I couldn't be more thrilled. But this also means that the money is split a few different ways this year. Once I meet my goal of $2,300, I will put all of my fundraising efforts toward helping my sister, sister-in-law, and dad reach their goals as well.

It's a big year in our family - my sister recently got engaged and is planning a wedding for March of 2012 and baby Johnston will be here in about 29 weeks. Even in the midst of personal chaos, we are all taking a stand against (breast) cancer. We all have excuses not to walk. We all have excuses not to donate. But I hope today that you'll be inspired to donate in honor, in memory, or in hope for the future.

It is my prayer that baby Johnston will not grow up in fear of (breast) cancer. I pray that we find a cure before our child ever has to learn what cancer is. I am proud to be able to say I was part of the cure.

Another Big Announcement!

2011-06-02T14:06:00.002-05:00

After announcing that we were moving and our big new jobs, it's hard to imagine another big announcement coming from the Johnstons.

That's right... we're expecting a baby! On or around January 4, 2012!

I'll write an entire post on how I think this is going to effect walking in November, but for now, we're excited!

Walking in the Real World

2011-05-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

I knew that my walking schedule in Louisiana was awesome. I could get up at a relatively decent hour (6:15am) get ready for work, put on my walking clothes, walk to work, change clothes, and be at my desk by 8am while still getting 4 miles in. My husband would bring my lunch and purse with him, it wasn't too hot yet so I wasn't terribly sweaty, and my husband and I would drive home at the end of the day together.

Working 4 miles from home on the same campus as Jarrod was convenient. If I packed my bag was packed the night before and my walking clothes were laid out, I had no excuse not to get out of bed with the alarm. I rarely took a day off and don't think I ever hit snooze. Sure, I was tired and it was challenging to maintain that schedule everyday, but it was definitely an easy way to ensure 4 miles everyday.

Little did I know how easy it was! Now that Jarrod and I have moved back to Texas, I have entered the real world - the world where people commute to work! We both have incredible jobs that we totally adore. I work about 23 miles from home and usually dress nicer than jeans and a t-shirt. I usually don't get home from work until 5:30pm or 6pm, nearly 2 hours later than in Louisiana because of the commute. While our evening meetings and activities haven't kicked in, that's still much later than I'm used to.

What has this done to my walking schedule? Kicked it in the behind!

Now sleeping in is VERY appealing. I don't get to bed quite as early as I'd like and need to wake at 6am in order to get an hour of walking in before getting ready for work. Hitting snooze doesn't disrupt my day at all like it did in Louisiana. It just gives me an extra half hour of sleep. Nice!

Just when I thought my days of walking were all but over, I skipped a day. We'd been up late the night before and I convinced myself that sleep was much more important than walking. I slept in an extra hour.

It took me an extra 15 minutes to get ready for work and I was dragging the rest of the day! I walked to pick up lunch and was able to get about a mile in, but that was it for the day. I learned my lesson. The sleep did not energize me and really left me fighting through the day to stay awake and get things done.

Lesson learned. Now my alarm goes off at 6am and I hit the trail. Sure, I'm exhausted by 9:30pm, but at least I've successfully maintained energy throughout the day! It's not easy and I'm sure it's going to challenge me in new ways all the time, but it's worth it. Both for my health and for my training!

I skipped a day

2011-05-13T14:54:00.000-05:00

Back in January I made a goal of walking 300 days this year I knew that I'd need to walk even when I didn't want to. For the most part I've done very well. As of May 4th, I'd walked 91.1% of days in 2011. I was thrilled. I hadn't taken near as many days off as I thought. Most weeks I'd walk 7 days, even if it's just a couple of miles around the neighborhood with the dog.

It's been wonderful to walk 3 days a week with a coworker. Knowing that she'd be waiting for me was incentive to get out of bed when my alarm goes off. Walking with my sister on Sunday afternoons is also great incentive to walk. Walking alone is also a wonderful way for me to keep my sanity.

However, last night we were at a going away party and at 9:45pm we were still enjoying friends and food. I looked at my coworker and said, "I'm not going to walk in the morning."

That's right. I did it. I took a day off!

I could list 700 excuses as to why I needed that extra hour of sleep, but I won't. The bottom line is that everyone needs a day off now and then. I needed extra sleep. I needed to cuddle with my husband this morning instead of flying out of bed to get ready to walk before work. I walked yesterday and I'll walk again tomorrow, but today I skipped a day.

We all need permission to skip a day. Or a week. Perhaps a month! As official 3-day season is in full force, we all need to let go of the idea that we'll follow the training schedule perfectly. Sometimes we need to let go of the idea that we're going to walk every step of the 60 miles or raise our goal of $5,000.

Having high expectations is awesome. I am all about setting goals that challenge and make me grow. However, goals need to be attainable and adjustable. Today my goal was to get enough sleep to make it through the day and spend a little extra time with my husband.

And for the only excuse I'll give - we're moving on Saturday! Jarrod picked up the moving truck this morning and has been running things around town all day. (Dropping a couch with my sister, picking up ours from her place, leaving a box spring at Goodwill, etc.) Tonight we'll organize our boxes, load up my car, and relax on the floor (no couch to sit on!) while watching our favorite TV shows from last night. Saturday morning (after my walk!) our friends will come over and we'll start loading up the truck. We leave right after church on Sunday and will sleep on our mattress on the floor of our new place on Sunday night! It's an exciting time, but definitely a time where I'm needing to cut myself some slack. That doesn't come naturally for me.

Happy walking this weekend! (or resting if you need it!)

My First 10K!

2011-05-01T07:56:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday morning I woke up to join a few friends (and 21,500 other participants!) for my very first 10K! Naturally I'd chosen to walk the course, but it was still very exciting to share the journey with so many people. We gathered in the French Quarter at 8:30am to hear the starting shot (a cannon!). About 25 minutes into the race, we crossed the starting line.

Our small group enjoyed the scenery, shade, and 6.2 miles of people-watching. While I can appreciate how challenging and unusual walking 6.2 miles is for most of the walking participants, I enjoyed a leisurely stroll in a beautiful part of New Orleans. Afterall, it was only 6.2 miles!

As I walked, I reflected on what the 3-day for the Cure has done for me. Today 6.2 miles is my typical walk before choir practice on Wednesday evenings. 6.2 miles is a nice Saturday morning walk before 10am. 6.2 miles is the space between opening ceremonies and the first medical tent, in some cases, on the 3-day for the Cure. 6.2 miles is just over 1/10th of the 60 miles so many of us walk every year (or several times a year!) because we believe in a world without breast cancer.

6.2 miles is a huge deal and I am incredibly proud of my fellow participants. Especially the ones who finished in 28 minutes! 6.2 miles is a quick trip for a 3-day walker because our journey is long, even longer than 60 or 120 miles. Even longer than 585 miles - the average training miles a 3-day participant puts in before the event. The fight against breast cancer isn't over in 6.2 miles or 28 minutes. It isn't over in 3 days or 60 miles. We are still in the midst of the battle.

However, the cure is near. And I'll keep walking until there is one.

Fundraising Competition

2011-04-20T12:46:00.000-05:00

I am fiercely competitive. My family jokes that I tried to win the 3-day for the Cure in Dallas a few years ago. I walked fast - too fast - because something inside of me said I needed to walk fast. My husband and sister sometimes refuse to play games with me because I am not a nice loser.

I think these qualities make me an excellent 3-day walker. I won't sit down on the job, I fundraise and train like a champion. I am part of a solid group of walkers who have made the commitment to the fight and I won't let them down.

That said, the 3-day for the Cure has issued a fundraising competition and I'd love to win!

The race is on! The first 50 3-Day for the Cure walkers to add $585 to their 3-Day fundraising account between April 20 - May 4, 2011, regardless of current fundraising balance, will receive the custom iPod touch to document their 3-Day journey.

I have decided that in honor of my birthday, I am going to begin matching donations. If I can raise $292.50 before the end of the week, I will match it to get to the goal of $585. Every dollar counts and I'm willing to use my hard-earned birthday money to help with the cause!

Why $585? Because that’s the average number of miles a 3-Day walker following the suggested training plan will walk in preparation for the 3-Day (wow!).

In addition to raising these funds and "winning", this will also put me above my fundraising minimum of $2,300! Have you been considering making a donation? Do it before midnight on Friday, April 22nd and your dollars will be doubled! To donate, click here or go to www.the3day.org/goto/leannejohnston

Happy Birthday Week!

2011-04-19T14:57:00.000-05:00

Not only do I turn 29 on Friday, but www.leannethewalker.com will also turn 1! That's right, I purchased the domain on my 28th birthday, almost one year ago. Things have been a little crazy in our world, so I thought I'd use this time to give a brief update about all that has happened in the first year of www.leannethewalker.com:

Posts written: 78
Miles walked: 1,393
Dollars raised: $3,195
Women diagnosed with breast cancer: 207,090 (according to cancer.gov.)

Over the past year too many people have lost their battle with breast cancer. Too many have experienced the terrible diagnosis. Because of this, I'm asking for friends and family to donate to Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure for my birthday. Donate because someone you love is battling cancer. Or donate because you don't know anyone battling cancer and you want to keep it that way.

I'll write more about the incredible changes happening in our lives soon, but for now, I leave you with my birthday wish: a world without cancer.

The Rumors You've Heard are True!

2011-04-10T18:04:00.000-05:00

For the past few weeks I've been keeping a secret. I waited until all of our real life friends heard straight from my mouth what was happening before posting it here. It's been nearly impossible to keep it from you. Yet another reason for my blogging silence.

Jarrod and I are moving!!! He accepted a job about 2 weeks ago in the Dallas Metroplex. He will be doing exactly what he does here, but we'll be about 20-30 minutes from all of his family and about 30-45 minutes from all of my Dallas friends. And even better than that, I might be able to catch my 1.5 seconds of fame!

This is exciting in so many ways, but for my 3-day life, there are several things I'm especially excited about.

Training - I'll be a training walk leader again, but this time I'll actually have training walks. Last year I was in a city with approximately 2 walkers. Me and my sister. We did train, but I never posted anything official because I knew it would always just be the two of us!
Community - Besides being in the same area as my beautiful teammates, I will be in an event city again where I can make lots of new walker friends! We aren't 100% sure exactly where we'll be living, but I plugged my husband's work zipcode into the Share List and have 4 other walkers within a 5 mile radius of that zipcode.
Expos and events - I can't wait to go to events. There is nothing more exciting (except for Opening Ceremony!) than the 3-day for the Cure Expo or kick-off events. I can't wait to drag my sister-in-law all over the area meeting new people and learning new things.

I'm so excited to train with new friends, old friends, and family. I'm sad to be leaving our friends here (and my dedicated training partner, Courtney!) but am very excited about the move. My mother in law and sister in law have already decided we're going to do the Dallas Race for the Cure in June. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Of course there is anxiety, incredible sadness, and uncertainty as there is with most huge changes. For more details about what we'll be doing, etc. check out our family blog!

Making and breaking habits

2011-04-06T14:59:00.000-05:00

Over the past few months I've gotten very good about getting out of bed early and walking to work. My job is about 4 miles from my house and there are sidewalks the whole way. I work in a casual environment, so coming to work and changing my clothes isn't that big of a deal. My husband doesn't work far, so we often will leave my car up here to drive home together, leaving me no option but to walk to work the following morning. I built the habit of walking to work and feel great about that.

However, walking the same 4 mile path every day got old very quickly. I would go on autopilot rather than enjoy the birds, sunshine, and beautiful weather. I did enjoy seeing the cute little old man crossing guard every day, but even he wasn't enough to break me out of my walking route funk.I wasn't excited about walking to work anymore, which left me dreading the early morning walks I once enjoyed. I couldn't alter the route because there's really only one way to get to work.

One day one of my coworkers asked if she could walk with me in the mornings before work. She lives on the complete other end of town, so we decided the best thing to do was meet at the office, walk for an hour, and then go to work. Instead of walking to work, I drive to work, but still get my 4 miles in. And the best part, I switched up my route without messing with my routine! I love that I have a change of scenery and a walking buddy.

Switching up my routine a few days a week has also freed me up to try new routes in the afternoons or on the weekends. I walk 25-30 miles a week because I schedule it in and keep it just like I would any other appointment. Here's my typical weekly walking schedule:

Monday - Wild Card: Sometimes I walk 4 miles after work and sometimes I walk 2 miles with the dog. Sometimes I take the day off completely.
Tuesday - 4 mile morning walk before work with coworker
Wednesday - 6 mile evening walk before choir
Thursday - 4 mile morning walk before work with coworker
Friday - 4 mile morning walk, sometimes with coworker, sometimes 4 miles from home to work.
Saturday - 6 mile morning walk and occasionally an afternoon walk with the hubby.
Sunday - 6 mile afternoon walk with my sister

As you can see, it's a good balance of walking alone and walking with others. I really enjoy my time alone walking with my ipod, but it's always nice to have a companion as well. Also, this schedule frees me up to skip a day and still stay on track of walking about 30 miles a week.

I know my schedule is going to change. We're making some huge changes in our lives over the next 6 weeks or so, but I am confident that I'll be able to make walking a priority in the midst of chaos and once the smoke clears.

How have you made walking a priority in your life? Do you prefer walking with friends or walking alone? How do you stay motivated to continue walking day after day after day?

Off my game.

2011-03-25T10:58:00.000-05:00

I've been a little off my game over here recently. I've been blogging more frequently over at our family blog but have been having trouble writing over here.

There are a few reasons, one of which is very practical - I've already written it. I've already written about fundraising, hydration, blisters, and training. While I'm still walking about 30 miles a week, raising awareness, and fundraising, I just don't have a lot of energy when it comes to writing things down.

Part of that is fundraising came easy this year. Thanks to a few very large donations, I'm already $20 shy of $2,000. I'm beyond thrilled and grateful because this means that I can help my sister and sister-in-love reach their goals too. The money will come in, as it always does. I just don't have any creative things to say on the subject that haven't already been said.

Another part is life has taken over. I applied for the 3-day for the Cure National Spokesperson position and didn't get it. No big deal, it was an incredible long-shot for me. And now, if you remember, that just means we can start trying to have a baby! We planned to start trying in March. However, on February 22nd, we got a positive pregnancy test. We were over the moon excited.

Well, that's not entirely true. Jarrod was a little scared and overwhelmed. We hadn't expected getting pregnant before actually trying! It was a bit sooner than we'd planned. He was in disbelief for about 12 hours. Our due date was October 26th, 2011. Right, for those paying attention, that means walking in the Dallas/Ft. Worth event a week later simply isn't going to happen. I am upset with myself for even being disappointed that this baby is ruining my walking plans. I'd all but given up walking in another city as well because I'd be too far along to travel comfortably to places so far from home.

After about 24 hours, we got excited. We began imaging what life would be like and how we would handle being parents. After months of talking about having children, things became real. It was overwhelming and scary, but exciting. I couldn't post here because I was so upset that I wouldn't be able to walk. I had just been chosen as an online ambassador and now wouldn't even be able to walk! Even thinking about the blog made me cry.

The past tense verbs are intentional. I'm not announcing my pregnancy. About a week after we found out, I miscarried. It wasn't a viable pregnancy because of low progesterone. It happened so quickly. We were, naturally, devastated. The past few weeks have been difficult, but we've been able to talk to close friends and family about it, which helps. This is so common and I'm thankful that if it was going to happen, it happened at 6 weeks and not 6 months. We are disappointed, but learned through this that we definitely want to be parents and we're as ready as we're going to be for the challenge.

I hesitated to write this on here. You don't read much about non-viable pregnancies on 3-day for the Cure blogs. However, I wanted to share a little bit about where I've been. I also hesitated because I do not want the head tilt.

Don't be sad for us, we're fine. There are other things going on in our world that are much sadder. Like cancer. Which is why we're all here anyway, right?

I'm counting to 3 and hitting publish...

How to: Blog!

2011-03-11T12:00:00.000-06:00

This post is dedicated to my dear friend Laurie. She's the person who coerced me into walking so many years ago. I owe her for a lot of things - lunches at Pei Wei, my sanity, and the commitment I've made to the 3-day for the Cure. She makes it fun. She's our co-captain over at the Rack Pack. She's also the inspiration for a post about how to set up and maintain your own blog.

I'll be the first to admit that I am by no means an expert blogger. Obviously I do not post daily and my template is nothing fancy. However, over the past few years, I have learned a thing or two about blogging and today I'm going to share that. Let's call this Blogging 101. If you are already blogging, this post might not be for you. However, if you aren't currently blogging but would like to or you're new to blogging, keep reading!

The Basics
Blog is the nickname for Web log - an online collection of stories, thoughts, or description of events. They are typically displayed in reverse chronological order with the newest entry on top. Blogs are often topic specific. For example, this blog is about walking in the 3-day for the Cure and my primary audience is other walkers, potential walkers, donors, or potential donors.

First things first
The first thing you need to do once you've decided to start a blog is decide where you want to host your blog. There are a variety of options, but the two most popular are www.wordpress.com and www.blogger.com. They are both free (although they offer services that you can purchase) and are fairly user friendly.

I used to blog using WordPress (remember this?) before making the switch over to blogger. My official web address for my blog is leannethewalker.blogspot.com, but I purchased www.leannethewalker.com to make things easier.

Blogger owned and operated by Google. If you already use Google for anything else (calendaring, documents, e-mail, etc.) blogger is probably the best choice for you. If you plan to have advertisements on your blog, blogger is also connected with Google Adsense, making this easy and seamless. More on that later, though.

Let's Begin!
Once you've decided what blog hosting platform you'd like to use, you will need to set up an account. If you already have a google account, blogger will link to that automatically. All you need to go is sign in with your google account information.

Once you have established your account, it's time to set up your blog! You will need to decide what you'd like your blog address to be. I recommend making something simple, easy to remember, and descriptive of what you will be writing about. If your blog is on Blogger, your address will be http://YOURDOMAIN.blogspot.com. If your blog is on WordPress, your address will be: http://YOURDOMAIN.wordpress.com. This will be the address people type in to find your blog so don't make it too complicated or use anything private. (last name, address, etc.)

Time to go!
That's it! Once you've set up your account and you've decided on a web address, you're ready to go! The first thing I'd recommend is checking out your settings. This is where you will set up the title of your blog. The title doesn't have to be the same as the domain you set up for your address.

"leannelindgren" is the domain name and "the 3 day journey" is the title.

Once you have your settings in order, the next thing I would do is set up your theme. Both WordPress and Blogger have excellent standard themes for you to choose from. WordPress has their themes under appearance in the Dashboard and Blogger has it under Design - Blogger Template Designer.

WordPress Themes

Click "Preview" to see what your blog would look like with that theme. Click "Activate" to choose that theme as your blogs theme.

Blogger themes

To preview in Blogger, simply click on the blog theme you are interested in. Once you are satisfied, click "Apply to Blog." Once you've done this, you can click over the other tabs on the left - Background, Adjust Widths, Layout, and Advanced - to make other changes to your blog. These tabs will allow you to change colors, fonts, sizes, etc. You can play around with them and get it where you like it in the preview window before clicking "apply to blog" to save the changes.

Ready to write!
Once you have your blog set up, it's time to get some posts out there! My advice is to get a few posts out there as quickly as possible. Spend some time introducing yourself, establishing a theme and getting your voice out there. Both WordPress and Blogger have very easy-to-use templates for blogs and make it simple to add pictures and even video to posts!

Time to play.
While you're writing, remember to take some time to play around with the sidebars. You can add a little square to tell people who you are. You can add a link to your 3-day for the Cure page. Play around - you can't mess anything up!

Hello out there!

2011-03-08T11:23:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry I've been so absent for a while. Things have been going on in my personal life. I briefly thought I wasn't going to be able to walk this year, but thankfully, I'm still in!

I've been walking regularly. Those of you who follow me on twitter or facebook have seen that I've been working hard to reach one of my goals - to walk 300 days in 2011! I was doing really well but then skipped yesterday and the day before because it's Mardi Gras and I prioritized parades over walking. :-) I only wish I could get mileages for standing and jumping.

Interested in reading about our Mardi Gras experience, recent recipe adventures, or financial updates? Check out my other blog where I document our life in Louisiana!