Five Things Friday

1.  We Got A Dog!  I've never really felt the need or pressing desire for a family dog by any means but our kids sure have.  They've been asking for a dog for years.  At one point we told them we'd get a dog when their little brother was two.  Well, he's five now.  Then we told them we'd get one when we moved back to Oregon after our adventures traveling from Asheville.  Well, here we are.  It was time to hold up to our end of the bargain.  We are officially dog owners to one beautiful, smart, happy, and eager young boy named Asher or Ashe (I'm liking this version more).  He was named after Asheville but the name is also very fitting for him.  I think I kind of love him already.  A few things I love about Ashe so far:

• So good with the kids!  Really, he chose them and they chose him.  They found each other.  When we first went to the Humane Society, he was just brought in as a stray and looked so scared and unsure of everything.  I was immediately drawn to him for some reason but figured he was a little too timid for our family dog.  But then we went back a week or two later and he was so different!  He let the kids play with him through the door (we couldn't take him out yet since he hadn't been assessed) and he would bring his ball right up to where they could reach in with their hands.  Today, we was ready to be adopted so we went to spend some time with him.  There was no way I could say no to this dog after seeing him with the kids....all of us really. 

• He is so well behaved and smart!  I can't believe this dog is under a year old and seems to know so much.  He let my husband and the kids give him a full on bath tonight and just sat there patiently until it was over.  He followed the kids all around the house and I'm pretty sure he tucked each one of them in in his own dog way.  Now he's at my feet chewing on a bone after giving up on me throwing his toy in the air for him to catch.  Oh, and it's like he speaks our language already because I will just talk to him and he seems to know just what I'm saying.  GOOD Dog. 

• He's a Lab/German Shorthaired Pointer...or so they think.  He has a lot of energy...just enough for our family.  Eventually, he will make a GREAT running partner.  He will be able to do so much with us...hiking, running, road trips.  Oh, and Bend is the most dog friendly city on earth from what it looks like so I'm thinking he'll get his own seat at the table when we dine out.  Kidding.  But maybe not kidding knowing Bend. 

2.  Boston.  I'm registered for Boston 2015!  I love this race but more importantly, I love this race weekend and the friends I get to see when I go. This will be my 5th Boston so I think after this one, I should be done for awhile...maybe. There's more to marathons than Boston. And way more affordable marathons for sure!   I don't know how I'll train for Boston but I can figure that out soon enough.  The more I think about it, the more I think it would be fun to use it as a training run for a 50k in May like I mentioned a few posts back.  I guess I'll wait and see how a Bend winter treats us.  

3.  Bend Winter.  Speaking of Bend in the winter, it is already quite cold in the mornings and evenings. I still keep seeing posts about humidity and heat.  Those posts are surely not written by people in Bend.  I'm thinking it is time to pull out the winter running tights soon.  

4.  Sunshine and Aging.  Is it possible to look older after only a month of living somewhere? Can wrinkles show up that fast?  Seriously, the sunshine here is the real deal--strong!  When I lived in Portland, I used to joke that the constant gray and rain was actually our best kept beauty secret...I think people in Portland who have been there a long time usually look younger than they are.  They are definitely a shade or three or four lighter than most people. A good place to live if you are a vampire.  Bend is a bit different.  No vampires here...they'd all die.  The sky is almost always blue and the sun is always shining.  I'll take it.  But with the happiness of sunshine comes lots of exposure to those sunshiney rays.  Daily note to self:  Hat, sun screen, sun glasses.  

5.  Twin Cities Marathon.  I'm so excited to travel to MN next month to watch the Twin Cities Marathon.  One of my best friends will be racing and I know of a few others that will be there too.  I've heard such great things about this race and about how beautiful it is at this time of year.  My friend that's running has been one of the most supportive and loving friends a girl could ask for. When I ran Grandma's Marathon in June, she drove down to Duluth to spend the weekend with me and she was at so many places along the course running next to me and cheering.  I'm so glad I get to be out there to support her this time.  Even better....another dear friend is traveling out there from Boston to be there too.  A girlfriend weekend, time to support our friend, and the opportunity to be part of the beauty and energy that this marathon has to offer!  

1.  Do you have a dog?  What kind?  Does he/she like to play catch/fetch?  Do you run with your dog? 

2.  Have you run Twin Cities Marathon?  Do you know someone running this year?  

Amanda

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As Seen on My Run #1: Deschutes River Trail

What a difference a few days make.  I'm really glad I sat with my feelings of sadness from last week.  Someone made a really good comment that I thought about for a few days.  It's important for us to allow ourselves to feel what we are feeling without trying to rise to this constant level of happiness or invalidating our sadness simply because we live a good life and have so many things to be thankful for. It's okay to feel sad.  And happy, excited, hopeful, and angry.  Our feelings are okay.  They are what makes us real.  I think our society has glorified this perpetual state of happiness or idea that we should present ourselves as happy or just not talk about it.  On the other hand, I think that when people find themselves feeling sad, others are too quick to pass it off as something that needs a medicated fix:  take a pill, get therapy, or something must be seriously wrong.  I don't think this is always the case.  Sometimes we just feel SAD. Period.  And then, by allowing ourselves to feel ,express and process, we can move on.  That's where I have been lately with this big move.  Honestly, I'm sure I'll still have some sad days or days where I ache for my home in Asheville and along the east coast but the past few days have just been so wonderful and focused on gratitude.  I think I just made a big decision to stop dwelling on the things I don't have anymore and open my eyes to all the wonderful things there are to be thankful for...all the things that make my new home AMAZING!

High Desert: Bend, OR
Living in a high desert climate is a bit of an adjustment compared to the forests in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville.  So far, in summer/fall, the mornings and evenings are cool...actually COLD, days warm/hot and the sky is a blazing blue like I have never seen before (well maybe in Colorado).  It's dry here but there are still trees everywhere.  I'd like a bit more deciduous trees if I could make a wish list, but I'm not complaining.  There is beauty to be found EVERYWHERE.  Bend offers a  different kind of beauty.

The birds? ...well, so far, in this neighborhood along the river, I haven't found them in abundance like I did in Asheville but I'm quick to turn my head when I hear their beautiful song. The other day I was in my garage painting picture frames and I heard a bird and you'd think I was a dog with the way I perked up.  They will come.  I just need to learn about how to attract high dessert birds to MY beautiful backyard.  Come birds, come!  Sing to me.  I love you.  You inspire me to write and create!  And gosh, you make morning coffee taste so much better!

One of the things I've started to make a bigger part of my life the past few days now that things are settling and my house is coming together:  RUN MORE! My body, legs, spirit, and whole self is entirely grateful and happier for it!  The endorphins are kicking in, my body is snapping back into shape, and sweating and working hard feels so. darn. good! I know the itch to train again isn't far ahead but for now I'm enjoying my 5 to 7 mile runs where I'm not tied to any plan or time on the watch.  In fact, it is a great way to explore my new home.

Today I took my camera/phone with me and stopped to snap pictures along my run.  It made me think of the post I wrote in Asheville called:  Snapshop Run in Asheville, NC where I captured pictures along my run and was able to give others a window into the things I saw.  I loved the freedom to just explore Asheville (or any city) through a run!  Today I thought of this and decided that I will do the same with Bend.  I still haven't even begun to tap into the trails around here.  But, not just the trails...Bend, the city!  So, I'm starting a new blog post series called:  As Seen on My Run.  In these posts I will take my camera and it will be kind of like a virtual run tour where I will share pictures and words about my run and where it will be. I'm taking YOU with me!

Today's As Seen on My Run was on the trail I run almost daily, the Deschutes River Trail right out my door.  This is one of the most popular trails in Bend.  I run it daily because it is convenient but I'm going to challenge myself to run on some of the other trails that Bend and surrounding areas boast.  I also plan on running downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods so I can take snapshots of interesting things there too.  I might as well take advantage of this non-training season before my runs get more focused again.

Here are my pics from today's run. No filter. Just whatever comes out of my iPhone camera.   What a GORGEOUS BLUE Skies Day!

Going under Reed Market Bridge.  Lots of paddle boarders, kayakers, and people in tubes floating the river.   

Peek from under the bridge

A half mile from my door.  First time I've seen people this far up the river.  

There's my first of several posts on: As Seen on My Run.  I promise they won't all be trail runs!  Plenty of city life and neighborhoods to explore.  Sisters, OR too!

Amanda

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Live Like a Tourist: Local LIVING with a Traveling Spirit

Jackson's Corner in Bend, OR:  Simple, clean, and beautiful way to display jars for filling our own water glasses.  

The best advice I received before taking off to live in Asheville, NC for a year or so was:

"Live like you're a tourist.  See as much as you can."  

I took this advice to heart and was intentional about taking advantage of my short time in such a beautiful place. I was amazed by how much I saw and did...How much LIVING LIFE we did!  We really took advantage of all there was to see and do locally and really, all along the east coast.  We traveled, became members at the Biltmore Estates, climbed hills, swam in rivers, ran on new trails, scoped out the best restaurants, and so much more.  And we still adjusted as locals and became part of our community.

When we know we will live in a place for along time, it's easy to settle into routine and end up really only seeing and doing the things that are within our small area.  I grew up in Colorado.  I lived there for twenty years.  But I didn't really see much at all.  There were so many times in college and afterwards that people would ask me if I'd been to _______ or seen ______ and I realized that I'd seen and done so little in my own home state.  I resided there but I didn't really LIVE beyond my neighborhood and the same places I went to every week. We are creatures of habit.  Isn't this true!  And I admit, I love routine.  It would have been easy for me to travel all the way to Asheville for an adventure and really not see much at all in that year if I were to settle into too much of my old habits of only doing and seeing the same things day in and day out.  I was so thankful for this friend's words ringing in my ear...challenging me to seek out new things.

Yesterday after picking all the kids up from school, we parked and walked to this place downtown called Jackson's Corner where we shared a brownie and our day. It was something that probably wouldn't have happened unless we were intentional about it.  Otherwise, we would have just driven home and done what we always do.  When we were there, I made a point to look around and take in my surroundings...truly notice things (I tend to live in my head so much of the time).  My favorite part of this place is the wall where they have the drinking jars for us to fill our own water. Just something about it that is so simple but beautiful.

Now that we are in Bend, OR for the long haul, I still want to challenge myself to live as if I am a tourist for awhile (a tourist on a budget) and not just settle into my own 2-3 mile radius.  I'd like to choose a place to visit every week or so.  This doesn't have to be expensive or even time consuming.  I plan to keep it simple and intentional.  Some ideas might be:

• Sitting in a new coffee shop (or one I've been to before but sitting in a different place or talking to someone new) 
• Driving a different route
• Finding a different trail to run on or mountain to hike
• Making a point to find all the book stores in the area (even in Sisters, OR and other surrounding areas.) 
• Exploring a neighborhood or area that's not my own, even if it means driving, parking and getting out to walk or ride our bikes.  
• Taking the kids to a variety of parks, museums, etc.  
• Attend concerts, theater performances, and local live music

Really, it isn't so much as living like a tourist as it is simply, LIVING DEEPLY.  Settling in our familiar routines is comforting and wonderful.  I love knowing my favorite places and enjoying the richness our little corners of the world bring to us.  I also know that it takes being intentional to open my eyes to things I may never do or see otherwise.  When we are exploring a new place on visit or travel, we are usually much better about noticing things, exploring and trying to soak up all we can.  Since we aren't traveling, it will be more of a challenge to break from weekly routine where we have our go-to grocery stores, daily running routes, same drive to and from school and work, and our favorite places.  Yes, we will still have these things...these things make life comfortable and great!  I just want to change my path at least once a week. Why leave all the fun and beauty in Bend, OR to the tourists?!

1.  Do you try to break from your normal routines and see new things in your own city or state?  

2.  If you are familiar with Bend, OR and the surrounding areas, what are your recommendations for spots you love (shops, trails, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.) and favorite things to see and do (big and small)??  

3.   Thanks for the dog and 50k trail advice from my last post.  We are still looking for a dog.  I might go check out a hound mix today but not so sure a hound is best for living in a neighborhood.  And I'm pretty sure her keen sense of smell might distract her on our trail runs.   

 Amanda

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