So as much as I would like to claim that Mac and I are the perfect couple and never disagree…I would be lying. Of course we disagree. But some times if we just take a step back from the situation and really look at what we are talking about we find out that we aren’t so much disagreeing as just a difference of definition.

Its funny how you can have a whole conversation about oh I don’t know the color teal, and even though you think your talking about the same thing, you both have completely different colors in mind…. Its the same thing when your having discussions or disagreements in your marriage.

 If the conversation just seems to be getting no where (you both agree to something, but its not happening as you expected OR you are disagreeing on something for no obvious reason.) It might be because whatever your talking about means different things to you. Maybe your hubby is saying no to a teal wall because he hates the color, or maybe he doesn’t know that your thinking of a lighter shade and showing him a color swatch might make all the difference.

NO I’m not painting the walls teal FYI.

Just this week Mac and I had this dilemma. We were going in circles over the word important. The problem wasn’t that Mac didn’t feel I was important every time we talked about it he agreed. The problem was he didn’t understand my definition of important. He didn’t know what I was looking for therefore he had no chance of doing it. Once I defined it for him (not that my definition is ‘right’ its just mine) it was a whole different ball game and I think it really helped both of us.

So next time your having a disagreement quick check what the discussion is about and see if there is any potential differences in definition.

I think some of my suggestions work even not on a plane per sae. When I travel I always have at least one water bottle with me and I fill it everywhere I go, even good old McDonalds (which is NOT green) if  I eat there then I fill my bottle instead of their disposiable cup. 

How to make fast food greener:

• Go inside and order your food that way your eliminating the bag and other un nessacary packaging.
• BYON  bring your own napkin.
• Order bigger split nuggets and french fries to reduce cost and packaging.
• Just don’t buy it and pack a lunch ahead of time!

Road trip greener:

• If your traveling with family try to car pool do you really need 2 cars for 4 people?
• Use the most gas effecint option you can fit in,  2 people and luggage in a Prius or Pathfinder…
• Drive the speed limit, unless you have a multi day driving trip really the most you can save in 300 miles is like 10-15 min, is that worth a ticket?
• Bring your own snacks.

Pack greener:

• Toliteries are hard, try buying some reuseable small bottles and refilling them or save your bottles that have just a little left and take those with then toss them or better yet recycle them when they are gone!
• Pack smart, pick a few plain bottoms and then all sorts of tops, this will cut down on space you need in the suitcase therefore reducing the amount or size of luggage you need.
• Share your suitcase this reduces your cost if your flying and the weight of the plane.

Have more ideas for me? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Birthday Dad!

I’ve learned a lot from this man over our last 29 years together and I thought today to honor him a bit I would let you know a few of them.

1. Stay/Get active.  I would say for most of the last 29 years my dad has had at least one ‘active’ hobby volleyball, biking, raquet ball, or golf. He as always had something that kept him moving despite his knee problems and When I started to run a bit more seriously than ‘just exercise’ he was one of the people I thought about. You know if he can do it I can.
2. Its never to late to say your sorry. A VERY LONG time ago my dad made a few dumb decisions, he knew they were dumb so he stopped and went on with life. But many years later it was still eating him up so he went to those he loved and asked for forgiveness. He didn’t have to, we didn’t know, it wasn’t affecting us. But asking for forgiveness affected him in a very big way, hard at first but now for the better.
3. Study the Bible. First of I must admit I’m not the best at following this lesson I’ve learned some days are better than others, but over all I have learned the lesson. Anyway, my Dad doesn’t have a clean Bible. The pages are wrinkled, written on highlighted and worn. Its a used Bible and I want mine to look exactly the same way.
4. Be in control of your money not the other way around. I don’t think I need to expand on that one.
5. Family is Important. Dad is the only boy in his family with 3 sisters. He wasn’t always perfect but for my lifetime he has always looked out for them and help out as much as he could when he could. We also made an effort to be at as many birthdays and holidays as we could. Going out of the way for family is just one of the ways he has shown me the importance of family.

So yesterday I did something I thought would be impossible just a month ago….I ran 12 miles, in a row no stopping now walking (although there was a little fence hopping I ran in to some construction.)

 Well if I’m being honest I think I ran 12 miles my GPS gets really crazy sometimes and this was one of those times… I would blame the small wooded section I run through but honestly it was wonky before that this time. So according to my GPS I ran 13.4 miles but I try to add .2 miles for every 3 miles I run to make it accurate, this time it was really wonky so I added more I’d rather be over training than under training.

• 12 miles
• 01:54 time
• 09:27 pace
• 1370 calories

So I won’t bore you with all of my training statistics but if you want to follow me you can here:

But now the real challenge comes I won’t have a ‘normal’ training week again until 1 week before the race and that week  I should be taking it ‘easy’ anyway so hummm. Plus all the yummy food on the cruise, this is going to be hard. But I think the motivation of the run should help!

We ran a Duathalon Relay!

My Mom started us off, I have to admit I was a little nervous her goal was to “not be last” and looking at the field I saw we had a pretty serious looking group. We were just doing it for fun, but I desperately wanted my mom to accomplish that goal….and she did! On a hilly windy 5k she ran 35:07!!! When she came around the bend to the transition zone I was crying, hence the slightly blurry picture  I wasn’t really paying attention…

Next up was my dad he was biking 20 miles, I wasn’t worried about the distance at all, he is a biker and does 100 mile rides during the summer (crazy) but the route had good hills and sharp turns.  Turns out he was the 4th fastest in our group!! He rode it in 1:07:27 

I was the 3rd leg of the relay another 5k. I’m training for distance so haven’t been focusing on speed at all. So my goals were to be sub 30 and without stopping. I’ve talked about it before but my training for a long time included 4 long stop lights (2 out and 2 back) so I was used to stopping and recovering. Therefore I’ve never completed a race w/o stopping.  Until now! 28:53 (PS I caught them by surprise so my pic is also a little blurry, mom had to run to get my pic!)

Thanks Mom and Dad for doing this with me it means so much to me!

Let me start by saying there are some reasons for divorce that unfortunately for all involved are not ‘good’ reasons per se (meaning bad things are happening) but very valid reasons. For the sake of what I’m writing below I’m not referring to those valid divorces.

So lets get on with my point, I believe that the idea of divorce has made marriage more of a game than a commitment. You know ‘ We will try it out and if it doesn’t work we can always get a divorce.” Really?!? NO, I’m sorry (OK no I’m not) in my world and my beliefs marriage is a commitment to your spouse “till death do you part.” I’ve lived “till death do you part” it wasn’t always easy but its one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Dating is when you get to see if your compatible, test the waters. Find out each others beliefs, views on money, what you do for fun, how you get along. Marriage is when you know all of that is good and your ready to be together forever.

I don’t believe that when you, just don’t get along anymore, or the spark is gone. You just get a divorce and go look for the next guy. That is when you work it out, you change something up, go to counseling, talk to each other again. You work for it. Marriage doesn’t have to be easy to be good. In fact some of the best examples of marriages I have had VERY rough patches. But they worked through it and are better in the end.

Honestly this is one area when I think Hollywood has far too much impact. We see celebrities married one week and divorcing the next. Its a joke when they get married to see how long it is before they divorce. We have records and stats for the shortest celebrity marriage, the biggest payout for alimony. Those are our examples? No wonder The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41% (According to enrichment journal on the divorce rate in America.)

Fight for your marriage!

Here are some great resources for your marriage:

Marriage Matters

Focus on the Family

A Weekend to Remember

“Natural” Fingernail Polish may not be

Chicago University Bans Bottled Water and Adds Refill Stations

After several educational campaigns led by the Student Environmental Alliance and the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy over the last few years, a majority of students voted last week to phase out the sale of disposable water bottles on campus in 2013, according to a university release.  Huffington Post Green

 My Thoughts

I think this is great, I’m already in the habit of always having a bottle with me and I would love it if there were more ‘fill stations’ or water fountains around for me to use. Many business are now taking this step so why not start in collage?

 After the glowing recommendation from my friend Jaci at Those Fabulous Running Shoes I just had to check them out for myself. I sent off an e-mail and it was my lucky day, they said they would send me one to review and one to give away!

So here are the facts, headbands just don’t stay on my head. I’ve tried those ‘no slip’ ones with the gel on them even and lost them all when they just fall off the back of my head. Yesterday I tried to wear a ‘cute’ one and had to pin it to my head… These however stay! I was so excited when I got back from my first run with it.

Cooper wanted to be in the picture too.

 I’ve literally worn this for every run since. In fact I just ordered 5 more…well 3 were for the hubby 2 for me so we each have 3 that’s fair right? Not to mention last Sunday I ran pretty late in the day and when I got home it was time to leave for Mac’s softball game, I just wore it out and got a lot of complements honestly. 

There are lots of designs but they are not only for runners, think biking, yard work, baseball, soccer….you get the idea.  Anything active and sweaty

My Parents and I after our Duathalon Relay race this weekend. (More on that later)

So now you all want to win one right? Well you can a really cool evergreen one with reflective squares to keep you safe when its dark out. But first I want to tell you about a few coupons.

BondiBand Coupon Codes

• MOM~Special for Mothers Day ~ FREE Bondi Band Armwarmer (black) with purchase of 3 or more headbands! (You must have 3 regular priced headbands in your cart along with a black armband. then use code MOM. Expires May 31st)
• FIVE~Buy any 5 regular priced headbands for $25.00 this saves you $15.00!!!

Want to win one?

Here is what your playing for boys and girls, this headband in hunter green with light reflecting squares.

Giveaway widget removed since the winner has been announced!

Oh and here are the gluten free gingersnaps I used:

But on to what I sent her, another version of my “I’m not a plastic bag’ bag. I went to my local Michaels and couldn’t find my normal canvas bag that I like to use so I used a smaller one. Jamie said she liked sping jewel tones and in my had that also ment flowers. so I decided to paint the back a little. But I can’t freehand paint….at all. I like stenciles, so I made one:

Then I used tape for some jewel tone stripes on the front and my iron on vinyl for the words just like my last two, the original and the first one with stripes