I have to admit that while I'm not a very great runner, as previously mentioned, I would run a Color Me Rad 5k at least once a month, if I could. With 2 of my amazing children and a group of my amazing lady friends.....
We had a pretty great time and I may just be in love with a 5K.
Don't believe me? Just watch this video made of our race here at UVU:
Each year I wonder when I'm going to start caring about getting older. Meh. So far, it isn't phasing me.
The photo you see below I have on my fridge. It's much much smaller in real life and was printed in one of those old photo booths that are making a comeback. While very hazy, I still remember sitting in the booth with my mom and snapping the pictures - and mostly, I remember that haircut. Why mom, why.... whyyyyyyyyyy....
This picture would be 28 years old. It's amazing to me that this tiny 2" X 2" photo has survived almost three decades. What I love about it even more is that I imagine it wasn't taken as a keepsake that we'd hang on to forever.
Today I've been reminiscing on past birthdays, and those that were most memorable. Around age 8, my mom had a birthday party for me and all my little friends. She gave each of us a cake and a decorator bag and let us each make our own cake after a small bit of instruction. That's obviously translated for years to come....
At age 16, my mom threw me a very memorable surprise party. She invited all my friends from VA and NC and brought them into the community center in our neighborhood for a party. In order to get me away from the house, she arranged for me to get some glamor shots. Yes, you heard me, glamor shots. Notice the absence of THAT photo.
I'll give you this one instead. Did you know before today that I was an actual pioneer?
You can tell by the neckline of that dress as well as the obvious fact my hair was cut with wooden scissors fashioned out of reeds or something.
Skip ahead a bunch and I had another really cool birthday. To celebrate turning 30, I took 2 friends and my giant 8 month old pregnant self to Vegas. We partied like a bunch of Mormon white chicks do - by tasting Coke products from around the world and seeing the Blue Man Group. Yum. Hardcore.
Then to top off THAT birthday celebration, I had this:
Not a bad 30th birthday present, right? Good thing she gave me a break and didn't come in Vegas.
Anyway.... if you've been in my life for any or part of these last three + decades, thanks. You've been good to me and I love you. Thirty three will be just fine.
There's an ongoing joke with my immediate and extended family that "Life is NOT just one big party."
This is something that my mom said to me more regularly than most anything else throughout all my childhood years. Yes, yes, I did all in my power to create personal circumstances that WERE INDEED just like 'one big party.'
So, in the spirit of confessions, I have something I need to say.
Hi, my name's Lindsey, and I'm a fun addict.
Cheesy? Perhaps. True? Absolutely.
I'm not kidding.
So.... I'm not a new blogger, I've actually been doing this since 2006, but this is a new blog. After having privatized my family blog some time back (drama, drama) I began feeling like I was missing out on some fun around here. That, my friends, just ain't gonna happen.
I'm sort of a spaz. I didn't regularly comb my hair until I was about 22 and I still would rather be dirty (as a result of some cool hands-on project) than clean and primped. I have a seriously diverse background that ranges from rock band management, to corporate Social Media strategy and management (via @JetBlue), to wedding cake making and cake decorating instruction. My educational background was actually in the fine arts (bronze casting) and after pursuing a fine arts career for a few years, I realized that it wasn't something suitable to family life.
I'm sort of (really really) a busy body and I don't sit still well. I have a thrill-seeking, motorcycle driving husband, and 4 lovely kids.
This blog has really taken a turn to dealing with 'body image' issues, hasn't it? Oddly, I don't really think I'm that concerned with it all. Maybe I'm lying to myself right there, maybe I'm not.
Either way - let's talk about it some more, shall we?
So, if you've known me for very long, you'll know that I am a complete and total sucker for crowds, events, parties, concerts, and any public forum where people are all gathered together for a common interest or excitement. In my younger years I thought it was because I lived and breathed for parties. As I've gotten older (not old, mind you) I've realized it's because I get a serious rush from things that bring together communities.
Hang around outside of IKEA for hours the day of the grand opening? Perfect, I'll be there. Sleep out in a tent on a busy road for a good parade spot? Absolutely. Stand in sub-freezing temperatures for 9 hours without food, water, or a bathroom just to claim the experience of New Year's Eve in Times Square? Been there, never regretted a second.
After my oldest daughter was born, I started running. I'd never really run before, but I lived next to a superhero of a woman who came from a family of runners. Somehow she inadvertently inspired me to start jogging as a leisure activity and I actually grew to really like it. Don't get me wrong here - I was never very good at it. I never ever ever could run faster than a 10 minute mile, and even that wasn't all that common. Nevertheless, I liked it just the same.
One day this superhero friend mentioned an upcoming 5K that was happening as part of our little town's yearly celebration: Art City Days. She mentioned the run was low key and more importantly that there were TONS of prizes they raffled off after the race was over. VERY reluctantly I registered, felt intimidated at the very thought of participating in a race, but couldn't pass up the prizes!
I made a glorious discovery the day of that race. Guess who runs in these races? Everyone. All types of people, all walks of life. We're not talking 10K or 1/2 marathon here - we're talking a 5K - that's just barely over 3 miles. There were kids, pregnant women, grandparents, and everyone in between.
The morning of the race, I jogged up to the local high school (which was just up the road from my house) and I felt a very distinct sense of community. I was hooked.
I ran that race - I did pretty terribly, really, but I LOVED it. There was such a rush that the 3 miles didn't even seem that difficult and people were so excited that it was easy to forget that there were plenty of people more than twice my age that were regularly passing me by.
Skip ahead a few years and he were are. I've done a few races since then, but nothing for a few years. As previously mentioned in some older blog posts, I'm not in the same shape I was 5 years ago. Who is, really? (If you are, keep it to yourself) Last fall I decided I'd start working out again - and working toward another 5K. I've watched the announcements of races come and go and just hadn't FELT it. Nothing inspired me. Nothing.... until..... this:
I mean.... COME.... ON. Could there really be anything cooler than THIS?! I dare say NO! I registered for the Color Me Rad 5K within about 15 minutes of learning that there was going to be one here in Orem where I live. I also noticed one in Virginia Beach (my homeland) just a week after the one by me! My friends here AND there can bask in the glory of this race/party.
After registration, I landed on a committee for a local Blogger Retreat called Breathing Space. I was thrilled to learn that Color Me Rad (@ColorMeRad5K on Twitter) was one of the sponsors. I was even more thrilled to learn that I was going to have the opportunity to GIVE AWAY TWO FULL REGISTRATIONS to any Color Me Rad 5K being hosted anywhere this year throughout the country. Stop thinking about this - just enter. You know as well as I know that you're dying to be there.
(One winner will be selected at random via random.org and will be awarded both registrations, one for themselves and one for a friend)
So- here it goes. Follow the directions below to enter! Good luck - and happy running.
While I tend to take a lighter approach to 'real life' and face trials, obstacles, and frustrations with humor, I'm stepping faaaaaaaaaaar out of my comfort zone and broaching a subject that's quite sensitive for me. Unfortunately, that's likely the understatement of the century. It seems I've done that once or twice before now, here with this blog, and have found the process quite cathartic. Let's hope I can experience the same thing this time around, too.
I've been plotting out this post in my mind for a few weeks and still haven't decided on the most effective way to communicate my thoughts, feelings, goals, and plans. I keep reflecting on a quote:
Unfortunately, I've had my share of headaches, and even more unfortunately, they're caused by the issues in my confession.
Here is goes. I'm not skinny. (That wasn't so bad, was it?)
I'm not skinny, I really never have been, and I really probably never will be. Some people can face this with a lot more courage than I can and some people can set goals and make progress much better than I can, too.
When I married 10 years ago, I married someone with an incredible passion for physical activity. I also married someone with a different definition of a 'healthy lifestyle' than myself. While this makes neither of us right or wrong, it's unfortunately made both of our lives and our relationship more complicated than we likely anticipated.
I like fun. I don't think that is a secret. I myself move a million miles a minute for about 68% of each day. I balance project on top of project, on top of family, on top of employment, on top of additional employment, on top of friends, on top of fun. It's the way I'm programmed. If I'm not doing 18 things at any given second, it's likely I'm asleep, and even that feels rare these days.
What I'm not good at? Dieting. I hate it. I love food - I love experiencing food with those I love. I love making food for those I love. I love showing love to others through food. It's a true labor of love for me and I absolutely hate being restricted by diets, rules, and basic human biology. When I diet, I'm grumpy - and instead of a diet making me feel like I'm in control and working toward a positive goal, I find myself resentful to the world, and myself, that I'm not just satisfied with who I am, as I am. In a twisted way, it goes against my core of acceptance of differences being 'okay' - and even a blessing.
I'm at a challenging point in my life right now. I recognize that I'd probably be happier in my own skin, and in my relationship, if I lost 20 pounds. That seems simple enough, right? 20 pounds should be a cinch, right? Wrong. It's not. It's daunting to me - and while that may seem silly - it's one of the biggest challenges I have faced in as long as I remember.
I've been working out very very regularly for about 5 months. I discovered Gold's Gym and their Cardio Cinema and I've been building up my endurance, speed, and strength. Additionally, at the beginning of this year I gave up Diet Coke - one of my favorite things in the world, in hopes that coupled with regular exercise, I'd see and feel some real progress. Guess what? Nothing.
I'm eating far more veggies and fruits than would have been typical for me in the past. I drink far more water than I ever have in my life. I'm educated enough to recognize that these things ARE doing good for me, I'd just really appreciate a dip in the scale and some recognizable progress. So far, nothing. I'd like to think I'm smart enough to recognize that my eating habits are not atypical. I feel like I consume an honestly healthy diet for the most part - and still cannot seem to progress.
To say I'm frustrated does not quite do it justice.
I ended up in just the right place at just the right time in early summer of 2011 and was lucky enough to spend the first Friday of every month supporting The Rooftop Concert Series in Provo, Utah. Those that know me truly know my endless weakness for two things... outdoor markets and outdoor music. These monthly events (June through October) satiated both of those guilty pleasures of mine.
While I do have some background in rock band management, my support to the concert series was primary provided through cupcakes sales (like those seen above) at the little market adjacent to the rooftop. In this time frame I was lucky enough to meet and get to know the owners of Station 22 Cafe.
As they describe themselves, I've found they truly do exactly what they claim to do by digging, "way down deep into our American roots to bring you fresh, reinvented versions of family recipes, classic dishes and some new flavors you never imagined."
I've always partial to the restaurants and cafes where you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. With a friendly but sophisticated atmosphere, you could easily host a business luncheon or even bring the little ones in for dinner.
I need to be honest at this point. I can't even put together comprehensive thoughts or feelings about how much I like this place, mainly because of their giant basket of famous fries.... (beer battered, thick cut, fry sauce to die for all for $4.50). I can't really get past that to tell you about all the other unique homestyle food they have to offer. Take a gander at their menu and you can see for yourself.
The next time you need a mini-vacation in Provo, Utah, pay this place a visit. You can thank me later.
When the bleach pens came out a few years ago I started some experimentation with their magical powers on cotton-knit clothing items that belonged to my kids. Over time, I've messed up quite a few projects thinking that the pens would be as easy to use as my extensive collection of 80s puff paints.
Tonight I had a rare splash of time to myself and whipped out a shiny new Clorox bleach pen and a cheap t-shirt I bought at Target the other day. I've refined the procedure and was pleased with tonight's results.
Now that Pinterest has exploded you see more and more projects like this. Most of them tell you to wash and dry the shirt first. Do they know who they're talking to? That's the same sort of madness I hear from my husband when he tells me to tape off the windows prior to painting trim. Not gonna happen.
It takes some practice to get a steady hand because the bleachy goop comes out in bubbles sometimes. I generally have a straight pin on hand and clear those up as soon as they appear.
Directions you'll see will also instruct you to trace your design with chalk first. While I see how that could be a good idea - also, not my style.
The one thing you WILL for sure want to do is put something sturdy AND flat inside the shirt while bleaching (I used a large manilla envelope because it's what I had on hand) You may think your design will soak all the way through and make the back of the shirt equally as cool. It won't, so don't.
Lastly, different color shirts take longer to process. Keep an eye on it. If you wait too long, the bleach bleeds too far and the overall design is compromised by a huge bleach halo. This shirt processed for about 40 minutes.
Once I felt the design was bleached out enough I took the shirt to my kitchen sink and used the sprayer to remove all the bleach gel. I did this quickly so there was no residual bleaching from the run off.
After rinsing repeadetly, I wrung out the shirt and popped it right into the dryer.
From start to finish I had a hand drawn bleach art shirt in about an hour+.
