I have a 12, almost 13 year old lifesaver.
She's smart.
She's beautiful.
She's kind and giving.
AND
She's always willing to help me out with Apollo.

This week I've had something going on every night.
Sarah has been quick to step right in and take care of things.

I feel bad because she hasn't had much of a break.
And she hasn't complained.

If you happen to see her, let her know how amazing she is.
I couldn't be more blessed to have such a special daughter.
I always know Apollo's in good hands.
Apollo really loves her.
And I do too!

(don't mind the dirty mirror.)

Remember this post: "Patiently Waiting for Me."

Well, I have new babies.
But they aren't what I was hoping for from my previous post.
In fact, they aren't even Asics!
They're Brooks!
I never thought I'd veer from Asics but the professionals gave me the best options for my foot type and from those three particular styles (one from Asics, Nike and Brooks), I chose these:




They felt the best over the other two.
I have 90 days if I decide they're not working out.


They have "Shoe Dog" which is a free service where they find the perfect-fitting running or walking shoes for you, reducing injuries, eliminating blisters and running in total comfort (can you tell I pulled that from their ad).

They have you run or walk barefoot on a treadmill while they videotape your feet so they're able to analyze your foot placement. They then show you the footage on a big screen and watch in slow-motion how you run/walk. They also have you stand on a pad that is heat/weight sensitive and measures the amount of weight that is distributed throughout your feet. I found that my left foot carries 45% of my weight, while my right is 55%.

For my feet, they suggested custom insoles which they mold to your feet while there and you take home immediately. They're good for 1 1/2 years and have a 30 day money back guarantee. They also have pre-made insoles that might be a better fit for some people. 

I felt the custom insoles were definitely worth it since I'm training for a 1/2 marathon and I had a sore foot after my last 6.5 mile run.

So with doing the analysis, the shoes I had my heart set on would have been "over-supporting" for my feet and could have caused problems. My friends' analysis revealed that they would have been a good match for her though. 


If you've never been to Road Runner, they have two locations here in Washington:



Kent Station
444 Ramsay Way, Ste 114
Kent, WA 98032
(253) 850-6200


Seattle
7020 Woodlawn Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 517-5100



Make sure you try out "Shoe Dog." It's definitely worth it.


Your feet will thank you. 

If you're in Sascha's class at school expect to get one of these with a lollipop poked through his hand.

I uploaded the pic and he designed the rest in Photoshop.
So he likes Daft Punk and Tron....
I did have him remove the tomatoes he had over his eyes.
And the Mexican hat.
I thought the mustache was cute.

Here's the pic I got the idea from.
Can't remember the site though...

Sarah brought this home from school the other day.
Makes for a proud parent moment.
Way to go Sarah!!!
You Rock!

So what if this was back in December.
And toward the beginning.
I still LOVED it!
And I'm going to post it.

My S.I.L. came to visit!
Short and sweet, but better than nothing.
She lives in Utah.
LOVE YOU EM!!!
Kaitlyn got to stop by as well (another FAB S.I.L. whom I adore).
She was their (Emilee and her brother) tour guide for the day.

Another thing that emulates therapy for me is running.
It's a natural "feel good" drug.
I need my running.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I track my workouts through dailymile.
They just sent me my 2010 year end report.



































It's a great motivator.
My goal for this year is to run a 1/2 marathon.
Looking for different options.
I'm open to suggestions.

My latest running gig was at Olympic High with my running buddy LaRee.
Apollo tagged along.
I made sure to bundle him in snow pants and two jackets.
Hat and mittens ended up coming off.
Little stinker.
It was only 38 degrees out!
These pics were taken after our run.
While running I was two jackets lighter.

Since I don't update my blog header monthly like I used to I thought it was time for a makeover.
It is a new year after all.
Not that I had the extra time to do it, but doing things such as these are therapeutic for me.
And I NEEDED THE THERAPY!

Some of us have little 3 year olds that do things like this with a Sharpie:


But not everyone has friends as cool as mine that bring their Magic Eraser's and scrub it off the walls and door for you.