just us.

longing for summer

2012-01-26T11:27:00.000-08:00

Is it too early to be ready for summer? It's the end of January and we're having this nice 80 degree weather here. I'm ready for swimsuits, long days, and warm beach weather. Here are some bathing suits I'm already eyeing...

thirteen point one miles

2012-01-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

To start off, the weather was in a frightening state: cold, cloudy, windy, and RAIN! I joked about wearing a garbage bag but let me tell you, I wasn't the only one with that genius idea. Cameron and I found ponchos in the rondo fam house and we looked stunning. Can't miss us! I was nervous for some reason before the race. I'm not sure why... I guess because there was an announcer and tons of people and it seemed like a big deal. WAIT! It IS a big deal! This is Lindsay, the girl who hates running who had never ran more than 5 miles in her life! This was indeed a big deal for me. I pinned my number (700, I felt it was a rather lucky number), tied on their tracking chip, and pulled on my poncho-- ready to go.

The announcer let our section go and we were off! But so was the rain! It was hard to look up with the rain in my eyes and my mittens were useless being so soaked. The first few miles were easy but I could tell Cameron was in a lot of pain with his knee. Close to mile four, he had to stop. I gave him a kiss as he sent me on my way. It was a lot sadder than I thought, leaving my running buddy behind. We trained so hard together; I was really bummed to leave him. But he hobbled his way back to the start as I continued on. Well I had to do something to entertain myself... dance party!! Brittany, Rhianna, Nicki, and the Black Eyed Peas came to help me out! How kind of them. (and many more artists, I LOVED all the song suggestions! Thank you!) I snapped and sang (obviously not caring at this point) and danced my little way to 9 miles. Then when boredom truly hit around mile 10'ish, out came the photog jog! I snapped away through the bare vineyards as I kept up my pace.

As mile eleven approached I could see the last stretch up to the starting line. My energy boosted and I was finishing with my fastest pace yet. And there was Cameron! Waiting for me just before the finish line! I waved and ran up to him and he told me to keep running. I ran into the finish line while being cheered on by so many nice people and a dozen of our family members, and by little Krew who was happy to see his mom! It felt sooo nice to be done but yet so accomplishing! Training prepared me so much more than I had ever expected; never was there a point where I felt like dying or collapsing. And I met my goal time and never stopped running! I would definitely do it again after some time, maybe when Cameron is better. I was sore but not as bad as I thought I would be. After all this running, I love how good I feel and everything's a little firmer. :) I had a wonderful support team: all of YOU (I cherished your supporting comments!), my moms, and Cameron.

And guess what, I got a stylish running shirt, a sporty bag, a shiny metal, a proud hubby, lots of hugs and a jumbo BLT and fries for doing it. Maybe I'll do again just for that ;)

zoo time

2012-01-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

We love the zoo. Always exciting--you never know what animal you might catch a good sight of and which one might be hiding out for the day. Today was an especially good day for the orangutangs and big cats. We caught them feasting at lunchtime. I get a kick out of the crazy people that start communicating to the animals through the glass expecting to get the animal to make signs back (one too many animal movies, buddy). Every time Krew saw the skyride up above, he would point because he wanted to go on. Two skyrides later, we got our usual soft serve cone and left before Krew was too tired. The zoo is just right, somewhere that's fun and where we are both learning.

running to the beat

2012-01-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

With the run coming up on SATURDAY, I've been thinking about all my prep for my half marathon. One important factor is my music since my running partner is injured. I have had a pretty good "run girl" playlist that I compiled for my training--my favorite songs that make me wanna get up and dance. The pop of pop... My favs:

- Love You Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez & the Scene
- Countdown by Beyonce (love this music video)
- You Da One by Rihanna
- California Sun by the Ramones
- You Make Me Feel by Cobra Starship
- Shake Your Body by The Jacksons
- Rumor Has It by Adele

I've got a few more in mind that I want to add and Pandora if I need something fresh. Music has always been a major help and boost to my workout. I snap my fingers, run to the beat, there's no shame. Maybe I'll just dance my way to 13 miles. ;) Let me know if you have any other favorites that I can add to my playlist...

good morning.

2012-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

I've got true skills when it comes to taking self portraits in the mirror. Head cut off? check. No make up on? check (glad I cut most of my head off). Toys in the background? check check. Perfect.
In all this running madness, Cameron has hurt his knee and has been unable to run for the last week. Such a bummer! After all this training together it happens right before the big day. I am hoping for a miracle but I don't want him to hurt himself even further. I think he needs some time to heal and let his knee rest. I do miss my running partner though :( He is sometimes the only thing that keeps me going.
And as for Krew, he has gone from a baby to a boy over night! Last night at dinner, the child that refused to eat anything, went over to his scooter and scooted away! Seriously though, I almost teared up.

doughnuting

2012-01-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Our 3-day weekend involved a lot of here and there and to and fro but somehow on Monday afternoon we ended up going to VG's, our favorite doughnut place, where we feasted on heavenly goodness. I said I would stop at two but when there was one extra lonely little chocolate doughnut left, I had to help him feel included so I ate him too. And don't think Krew was left out on the fun. He licked his fingers for every last taste and whined when we left.

snippets

2012-01-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

We did a pretty good job of having a fun time last week. This weekend we don't have any concrete plans (except for a run) but 3-day weekends are something to look forward to. Family time ahead! Have a great weekend!

my training essentials

2012-01-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

As I have said before, this training is all new to me. When I run, I must be equipped with all my favorite essentials to make sure I can finish. Am I high-maintenance runner? Possibly. But when you are running that long, you deserve to have everything just right to make the training a smooth ride.

1. Garmin- I never thought I would want one of these but guess what, I do! I used to be strictly a treadmill girl because I liked having numbers in front of me keeping my pace and distance but this watch allows me to do it anywhere. We have been borrowing my mother-in-law's watch and when we don't get the chance to borrow hers, we turn to the free iMapmyRun app that is just as accurate.

2. Lulu Lemon no slip headband- I like wearing a headband to keep layers, flyaways and post baby hair regrowth to my head! I have an issue with tighter headbands giving me an awful headache but this one has just the right tension to keep my hair out of my face minus the headache and slipping as other headbands do. I also have another plain head band from Lulu Lemon without the grip and I like it just as much.

3. Eggs- I have found exactly what I need before a good run! Something that can give me some gasoline for my longer distance runs. Eggs + a piece of whole wheat bread is just perfect. Some don't like eating at all before they run but I personally feel that my body really needs it.

4. Zipfizz- I realize this is probably half mental, but for those 8+ mile runs, I love to have a little pick-me-up at the half point. It tastes good and gives me that little boost to finish the second half. And its size is ideal to carry in a pocket or slip in a strap of a jogging bra. I also tried GU energy gel which was really yummy. Its clear gel look is deceiving when it tastes like chocolate pudding.

5. Lightweight tank tops- I love any tank top that makes me feel like I'm running in just a sports bra. Lightweight and almost tissue is perfect. Plus, racer-backs always make your shoulders look extra strong and sexy, don't you think?

6. Under Armour Zip-Up sports bra- (I apologize if this is getting too personal for you) You might say that $50 is a lot for a sports bra but I think it was one of my best investments. I bought this right after Krew was born and I love it. The front zipper was especially useful while nursing but nursing or not, I love this bra. It is tight enough to tame the ladies with letting me intake air! :)

7. Under Armour water bottle- I have learned that hydration is important during your run but also the week before! I was having horrible stomach pains post-run when I would eat. I wasn't able to eat for hours after which was frusterating when I was hungry! GIVE ME SOME FOOD! My mother-in-law suggested that I do a better job of hydrating all week long before and guess what?! Those tummy aches quickly vanished and now I eat post-run pain free. This water bottle is perfect; I love how it squirts with a twist top. Someday I would like to venture into the water bottle belts so I could be hands-free but for now this works great to run with.

8. The shorts Cam gave me (similar but mine have stripes on the sides)- not only do these make you a fashionable runner but I have realized the importance of those little linings/panties inside! They keep my shorts in place as I run!

I realize that everyone has what works for them and these happen to work for me. I also wouldn't be able to train without Cameron my awesome running partner and babysitters (mom and Shannon) who have watched Krew. And let the training continue!

good morning.

2012-01-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Krew and I have been playing with our grandpa's new puppy (he lives next door). Mitch the puppy sits at our back doors waiting to come in and say hi (and check out what food is under Krew's high chair). I love seeing his little eyebrows through that door window. And if we don't let him in soon enough, he likes to take a bite out of the door. Little beast.

Krew looks like whooo?

2012-01-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

Pop Quiz: Who does Krew look like? (Choose answer below)

Here is Krew...

This is Cameron (at about the same age as Krew).

This is Lindsay (at a little younger than Krew).

Answers:
a. All Cameron, they are long lost twins separated by 25 years.
b. All Lindsay, just turn that sailor dress into some shorts and you couldn't tell them apart.
c. a perfect combo of both!
d. neither. Krew has his own look-- don't try to associate his cuteness with his parents.

and at about 7, i felt i could go no longer.

2012-01-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

We had our eleven mile run and it's crazy to think that is only 2 miles less than the real thing! We ran up the highway 101 and ran back on the beach. Because of where we started, we had a longer way back to our ending point. I think it was something like 4 miles out and then 7 miles back which is pretty deceiving when you think of your turning point being half way. Don't get me wrong, I was fully aware of our route. On our run back on the beach, at our 7 mile point I started to lose my steam. I couldn't stop thinking about how far our ending point was. I wasn't tired, I was mentally losing steam. The entire run would be around 2.5 hours of running (I'm a very slow runner folks but I'm improving) and the thought of running that far and long was exhausting. I had run out of things to talk about with Cameron because I was only dreading what I had ahead.

Frankly, I was fighting it-- fighting the fact that I had to run.

"You're going to have to talk me through this one, Cameron." The line sounded too familiar to something I had said to him during childbirth. I had turned into a running, whining baby.
Up ahead on the almost empty beach, I saw a young man walking with a woman. He turned back to say something to a friend when I recognized that hair.
"Cameron!" I said with quiet excitement. I got a boost of energy as I realized who it was. Walking along the shore was Rob Machado, a famous surfer who I had seen before but never on an empty beach. My pace suddenly picked up as Cameron laughed at my star struckness. I contemplated saying hi as we ran by but considering this area was his local spot, I decided to keep my cool. I ran by excitedly and my energy kept me going. I didn't look back and I was regretting the fact that I didn't have my phone with me for the best ever photog jog. And to top it off, the sunset was unreal-- unreal I tell you. The cloudless sky was lit even after the sun went down and the water turned into an electric blue with an orange sky. Boy did I wish I had my camera.
Through the rest of the run, we had plenty to talk about as the sun set to our left. And at the end, oh my was it good to be finished.

Do I like running yet?

Let me answer it this way: I have learned why I haven't liked it in the past. I fought it with all my energy the entire time. I despised every second and mile of it. Am I a runner? No. I'm I an athlete? Of course not. But I have learned to train and to bear with it, to realize that it will feel amazing afterwards and that post-run feeling is what I love. My positive running mentality is what matters most. And heaven forbid that a pro surfer doesn't appear out of the blue on an empty beach to give me some extra adrenaline, I better have the right mindset to keep going and finish.

Rob Machado with Blake Lively for a shoot in Vogue, June 2010

Post note: Since this post, we have ran our 12 mile which was surprisingly easier than the 11 mile. We are now decreasing in mileage until the real run. Our longest run being 8 this week! Nice.

2011 in review

2012-01-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

Is it too late? nah...
We're less than a week into 2012 so here are a few of my favorite posts from this last year.

(Recap: Last year, Cameron and I graduated from BYU-Hawaii (Him: Business, Me: International Cultural Studies), left our little sweet island and moved to our hometown of San Diego! The first 6 months of our year was major transition time. Cameron with finding jobs in San Diego and for me, being a mom! We got all settled in and what a wonderful year it was! )

-first ever photog jog (pretty important, I know)
- I got VIP seats and airtime on Dancing with the Stars thanks to my friend Ashley
-Krew making me laugh
-took a little vacation to Solvang
-watched sunsets together
- went camping at Mammoth pools
-got lots of baby kisses
-Krew's 1st birthday!
-we moved!
-Krew started walking!
-made a silly movie
-spent time at the beach
-we loved our picnics
-Krew looking oh-so-dapper in a suit
-I shared some random facts
-got into our halloween costumes
-played in the backyard
-found out my name in Cameron's phone
-wore some awesome leopard pants
-had so many fun days with my boys
-I got an internship
-agreed to run a half marathon
- i love my little guy.
-celebrated 4 years of marriage.

Thank you to all of YOU for being such wonderful friends and making last year so awesome. I truly love reading every comment. Thank you for being so supportive of me and my little family. Cheers to a new year!

good morning

2012-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

1. Krew insists on feeding himself
2. ready for work

New Years Eve

2012-01-03T10:35:00.000-08:00

On the Eve of New Years Eve, I decided to throw a last minute dinner party for some friends, one being from out of town. Everything fell into place and the party was delightful. We had wonderful food and warmly welcomed the new year with laughs, full tummies, and poppers. Sometimes it's the gatherings I prepare the least for that I enjoy the most.

to sis...

2011-12-31T10:26:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday sis! I waited 15 years to finally get my sister amongst all those brothers.
And boy were you worth the wait!
Love you Courtney.

celebrating 4 years of marriage!

2011-12-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

For our four-year anniversary, we spent the day mostly as a family. Why not?! Our wedding day is the day our little family began. Cameron went surfing in the early morning and was taking extra long to return home... and surprised me!

It doesn't get better than Cam's homemade card, sushi & green machine for a picnic, and roses. We needed to get our run finished for the day so we did our 6 mile around Torrey Pines (holy hills!!!). Remember? This half marathon is our anniversary presents to each other. We set out our picnic near Seal Beach /La jolla cove where we feasted in the sun as Krew chased seagulls. We ended our day with a temple date and dinner for two at Rubio's. :) The day was perfect.

Four wonderful years ago I married my best friend. Words can't explain how much I love him.

photo credit Nathan Petty

p.s. And I'm blogging over here with my ideal New Years bash!

christmas morning 2011

2011-12-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was everything we anticipated and more. Krew quickly learned that ripping all that paper meant there were exciting things inside! I would have been satisfied with just watching him all morning opening gifts. I felt so loved with all the wonderful presents from family and friends, Cameron and of course Santa. We loved being surrounded by our families and as always, the Cinnabon from uncle Steve. :)

long story short: my day went like this

2011-12-23T00:45:00.000-08:00

1. too many sugar cookies, bark, buckeyes and yummy christmas treats. My diet right now is solely sugar. "Is there sugar in syrup... Then yes!"
2. getting a little carried away with the homemade wrapping. carved potatoes = stamps. awesome.
3. "where's Krew?!"
4. "hi Krew!" Repeat 20 times and every time it is surprisingly adorable.
5. my husband sent this to me telling me his group at work won the best looking gingerbread award. And doesn't it deserve it. :)
6. Christmas card madness. Late but worth the wait?...or... Better late than never (better never late!)
7. Cameron surprised me with an early christmas gift! He wanted to give me these running shorts so I could wear them on my 11 mile run on Saturday. I love the shorts and I loved that he thought of me.
8. Christmas wrapping almost done... ignoring the fact that this will be torn up in a matter of seconds- just how it's supposed to be.

christmas is coming...

2011-12-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

we love eggnog.

Christmas is almost here and somehow I have managed to save almost everything I need to do for this week! Christmas cards and Christmas shopping. It's not like the malls or post office is slightly busy a few days before Christmas, right? ;)
I did get an excellent discount for ordering my Christmas cards so last minute and I don't have to ask for addresses from loved ones because everyone else's have arrived here first. Lindsay=1 and Procrastination=0. We'll see if the shopping mall gives procrastination the upper hand.
And thank heaven this week is an intense training week for our half (this week is 24 miles total, an 11 mile on Christmas Eve!) because these Christmas treats are so delicious! As you can assume I have given in...
Off to the mall we go!

Krew visits Santa

2011-12-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

Priceless.

making wrapping

2011-12-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

the simple dot and the perfectly imperfect chevron + yarn pom poms

This year I have seen a lot of folks around the internet making the homemade wrapping paper. I am not one to take pride in my wrapping, I'm usually more of a gift bag type-- no tape involved. But I decided to change it up a little bit and make some wrapping paper and toppers myself. If you try it, get ready to oooooh and ahhh over your homemade perfection. :) I love the touch of homemade wrapping paper. It's one more way to make a gift a little more personal. And Krew helped me make some for his gifts for his grandparents!

And the pom poms are super easy. I originally planned to make these for my tree but now they are going on presents too. More pom poms please!

Here's how to make them. Watch a holiday flick and pom away, my friends. And today I'm guest blogging over here! (And on Saturday I guest blogged here!)

1) cut out two "c" like shapes that are identical. They can vary in size depending how big you want your pom pom to be.
2) stack your two "c"'s on top of each other so they line up perfectly. Then wrap the yarn around. Doing more will make a fully pom pom. This does not have to be perfect.
3) Once you've wrapped, put your "c" down on the table (usually have to hold it down with one hand) and with scissors, cut in between the two "c"'s of card board. Be carefully that your yarn doesn't move too much.
4) hold down the entire time like this as you cut. Cut all the way around.
5) Being careful, have a loose string (that you should have ready before you start) and tie it in between the two cardboard "c"'s
6) tie it real tight again creating a knot around all the pieces of yarn. Pull off cardboard c's and fluff and trim your pom pom. easy cheese.

cute boy.

2011-12-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

All Krew really wants for Christmas is to be a part of the Old Navy mannequin family.

no business, all party

2011-12-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

Last night we had Cameron's work party, which was held at Poseidon in Del Mar. Everyone that I got around to talk to was just a delight! It was a lively bunch. And not to mention, I enjoyed the food! (Imagine that!) The seared ahi was my favorite appetizer and I ordered a delicious sea bass for dinner. And Cameron was nominated for the "Most likely to go to the office kitchen for food" award. That's my hub! :) He didn't win but I'm sure he was pretty close. At least he wasn't nominated for the "Worst dressed in the office" award and yes they had that! Like I said, it was really fun and I was thoroughly entertained. Cameron is lucky to have a job with such fun people.

And this is the dress! It's a little different than online (I had to take a few inches off the bottom because the length was odd so I made it right at the knee) but other than that, it was just right. Excuse my crummy post-party picture. The dress is from asos.

our christmas tree

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is our very first year getting a real tree together! Can you believe it? In years past, we had a little silly plastic one since we were always busy with finals and traveling.

We found mr. noble fur through a dense pile of trees. Cameron didn't want to just pick the easy ones in front. No! The good ones are deep in the back! So he dove into the pile searching away!

Cameron picked a winner and Krew and I approved. I expressed to Cameron how I had to have these certain lights I saw and we must buy them that night! After a long shopping trip and a tired baby, we placed them perfectly on our tree. And... I hated them. Sorry hun. I returned the lights I had to have and resorted with the good ol' traditional. Krew helped me pick out some ornaments (hence why our tree is covered in woodland creatures) but we think it looks great! And smells good too!

off with its head!

2011-12-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

I could feel little Krew's desire to say words was increasing and I felt like the time was right. And so snip I went and I called it "broken". Never did I ever expect the heartbreak I saw in his little eyes over the loss of his binky, his comfort from birth. It was so sad it caused me to consider,"Well so what if he's 18 with a pacifier..." and then I realized what I was thinking and it had to happen. Now that a few rough sleeping days have passed, the sorrow has worn off and thankfully he's almost forgotten about it.
goodbye binky.