Random Life Bullets...HTC, Marathon, Parenting, Concerts...LOTS!

I love writing posts with bulleted lists.  No theme.  No point to the post other than to just get things off my mind and process through writing.

• I'm an awful blogger lately.  Awful at finding the inspiration and time to write them and awful at reading them.
• See below about the giveaway I'm hosting. Chance to win $50 to Whole Foods or iTunes for doing nothing more than sharing my giveaway and spreading the word about a truly awesome app!  Not time consuming at all despite the length of the post.  Many options for entries but only one that is required....share the info about Spinning Meals with others.  That's it! $50 at Whole Foods might only buy you a bag of apples and a jar of peanut butter but Hey, it's something.  Ha!
• Writing a blog isn't about finding time to post.  If I don't have the time, I don't post.  If I don't feel like I writing, I don't write.  This isn't a job or something where I take myself too seriously. Rather, my blog is an outlet for me to process and put what's on my heart out there. Or to share something in my life.  More often than not lately, I just haven't felt a whole lot worth writing about and I surely haven't found the words I need for a lot of the things I've been feeling.  But when I do find myself "called to write", my posts usually WRITE me...it doesn't require work and it doesn't take much time...it just flows.  I miss this.  
• Had a 20 mile run with my friend Stephanie last Saturday.  Stephanie was awesome to go slow with me so I wouldn't have to do it alone.  It felt awful and I came home a bit discouraged.  An 8:30ish pace felt like a 10 min pace.  However, we did see Shalane Flanagan TWICE on our run. Not sure if seeing her run past us with her perfectly beautiful form made me feel inspired or just kind of blah about my bad form and heavy legs (how I felt on Saturday).  But gosh, she looked so amazing running!
• I got my Nicole fix the other night.  I've missed this girl.  So proud of her and the opening of her new studio for her business Power Inc.  I was in a bit of bad mood when I got to her open house event but it didn't take long for her to bring the fun side out of me. So proud of her for all the life she's made for herself...such a testimony to the power we hold to make our life what we want.  She just decided that she wanted to do something different with her life so she started doing make up and now she is one of the top make up artists in Oregon (if not the best).   

• I find myself in kind of a rut lately.  Emotional, Mental, Physical even.  Not a bad rut...just a lull of sorts.  I'm feeling like I'm on the edge of something big or something new.  I like that we have lulls in life....quiet spots that make us think.  It's almost like they prepare us for what's NEXT.  I'm excited to find out what's in store.  
• I am running a marathon in 2 weeks from yesterday!  Not sure how I'm feeling about it.  A mixed bag of feelings.  But I'm trying not to FEEL too much and instead just go and do what I know I am capable of doing.  Ready to get the job done and ENJOY doing it.  Praying for cool weather on July 4th morning.  
• After I run a great race on July 4th, my husband and I have tickets to see Ben Harper on July 5th.  Ben Harper is probably in my top three of favorite musicians.  If not my favorite!   Love his music and so much of it has a part in the time that I met my husband, fell in love, and grew into myself...fully and centered.  Several of his songs were at our wedding.  After our first kiss as a married couple, we walked away to Forever and then our first dance was Not Fire, Not Ice.  SUPER excited about this concert.  
• I've been thinking a lot lately about the gift we have as mothers and fathers to help our children discover their GIFTS.  I've really made it a goal of mine to get my kids more involved in the things that I see them loving...drama, art, sports, etc.  I also believe that it is up to us to encourage and gently push our kids to try new things that they might not know that they are good at. 
• How did I get to be the mother of KIDS and not babies?? My baby days are behind me...this is weird for me. A little sad but also glad.  Went to bed thinking about all of the transitions that life has to offer and how we change over our life with each new transition. These changes and stages in life come faster than we are ready for sometimes.  I suppose that's why we see so many people chasing their youth down...Moms of teenagers dressing exactly like their daughters, men clinging on to their last strands of hair with a comb over, reconstructive surgery of every kind (at this stage in my life, I'm thinking that's not such a bad thing...ha!), etc.   We can't go back so I suppose the best we can do is just embrace where we are always at and make the most of it.  So here's to being a mom in her 30's with young kids that are no longer babies! I'm thinking that life only gets better!
• Just found out my team assignment for Team Nuun Hood to Coast!  Super excited to tear it up and have fun too!  I have the same leg as I did last year so I know that I'll already know what I'm in for.  

Team Morning: AfterNuun Delight

Van 1

Tricia – Tricia Minnick: Legs 1, 13, 25

Corey – Schnoodles of Fun: Legs 2, 14, 26

Stephanie – Epicurious Runner: Legs 3, 15, 27

Jess – Blonde Ponytail: Legs 4, 16, 28

Caitlin – Nuun Employee: Legs 5, 17, 29

Ricole Runs – Ricole Runs: Legs 6, 18, 30

Van 2

Erin – Nuun Employee: Legs 7, 19, 31

Elizabeth – Running For Bling: Legs 8, 20, 32

Dorothy – Mile Posts: Legs 9, 21, 33

Amanda  – Runninghood: Legs 10, 22, 34

Jennifer – The Fit Fork: Legs 11, 23, 35

XLMIC – Taking It On: Legs 12, 24, 36

• If you haven't seen my giveaway for $50 to Whole Foods or iTunes, then seriously, check it out.  The purpose of the giveaway is to spread the word about a really awesome app that revolutionizes the way we do meal planning. There is nothing in it for me...it is just me sharing something I think is pretty darn cool! As busy moms, dads, athletes....seriously worth sharing with others.  The only mandatory thing required to enter the giveaway is to share the giveaway with others to get the word out about Spinning Meals so don't let the length of the post scare you.    I will most definitely be fair in choosing the winner but gosh, I'd love to see some of you that I know WIN!  EASY!!  

So MUCH more on my mind lately.  Seriously a FULL HEAD of big thoughts and feelings here...almost too full to make any sense out any of it.  So, I'll stop with my bullets or I'll be bulleting all day.

Happy Thursday,
Amanda