Upcoming races

Knowing me and my personality, I am not one to do things once and then go on with my life. No. Not now. Even though I have a race this weekend which I am TOTALLY excited for, and I am already thinking of my next race.

I don't want to wait until the 5K Turkey Trot the day of Thanksgiving.

With that note, I came across a few shorter races that take place before Thanksgiving.

Wonderful!

I need to keep them short, just becuase I know I won't have ALL the time in the world to devote to training and long runs and so forth.

So, this is what I came across.

• 2.62 mile "Bridge Bash" (9/23/06) - this is a run that if I participate I will be able to take part in the 1/2 or full marathon at a discount price next May...
• Tour de Forks! - I heard this on the radio, but didn't catch the day. I could do the 5K or 10K.
• 8K Veterans Day Cross Country Race - I would love to participate in this, but I am worried about the fact that they say it is for runners not walkers and the course closes when the last runner completes... am I the only one that finds that weird? Maybe I am just reading into it wrong...it is late
  

Those of you readers out there (that I know personally) are more than welcome to join me! I would love it! I really want to do the first two for sure! And I think the Veterans day Race would be interesting. It starts after a memorial service.

Anyway ... this girl must be heading to bed! It's been a long day!

Happy runnings, y'all!

Odds and Ends

At the near end of my long run Sunday, I came across a path.

Yes. A path .... in this town.

Truth be told, I was looking over at a new "building" that was just finished and noticed a water fountain...perfect! ( I think the building has to do with the water system) I had gone 5 miles already and was dying of thirst!

Once I was there I noticed this ASPHALT path, heading UP a hill.

Okay, so it wasn't a hill .... It was a dike. A new dike that was built after the flood of '97.

Anyway. I ran up it ( yes, there was an incline) and noticed once I got to the top that there was this hidden path behind the dike.

I couldn't believe it!

So, yesterday, when Sis asked me if I wanted to go rollerblading, I knew just where to go. It was a mile to the path, then we went as far north as we could, turned around and went south to the end of it and back. With all that, we came to 7.3 miles! Who knew!

So tonight after class, I decided to venture out on my bike and hit up that path. I felt I needed to get out and do something, plus I thought it would help my knee. A little cross training with little impact...hoping to strengthen it. Nope, still sore. I am going to blame it on the rollerblading. Darnit. I just hope this pain goes away before Saturday. But, I did get in 5.84 miles on the bike before sundown!

What a beautiful night. Sunset to the west, and a HUGE moon to the east. Absolutely Gorgeous!

I thought to myself...September might be my favorite month of the year.... in regards to the weather. Warm during the day, nice and cool at night.

*Sigh*

But, I must admit...being a true North Dakotan, deap-down-inside I look forward to the change in seasons....


TWINS:
What the heck is going on with the Twins? They lose a game to the Yankees...big. They win a game against the Yankees...somewhat big.... and then they lose a game to the Yankees....very big..again.

Then, I wake up Monday morning, turn the Today Show on, and find out that Bert (a Twins announcer) got suspended for a couple games due to using profanity when he thought his mic was off... plus, they were possibly going to fine the team as well.

Now, tonight agains the Devil Rays, Cuddyer hit a homerun and was not given credit for it!!!! Some kid in the second row caught it, dropped it back into the field and they played it. The Umpire didn't count it as a homerun, Coach Gardenhire was "talking" with the Ump and was then kicked out of the game! GOOD GRIEF! What is going on! Atleast tonight was an 8-0 shutout! Wahoo!

New tunes...continued...

Thanks everyone for the artists/songs! Some of you had made comments that it would be easier to give suggestions if you knew what kind of music I liked. Makes sense. I like all sorts. For running, I am really getting into punk. I love rock. Hip Hop, rap, reggae, 60's, 70's, not so much the 80's (sorry people). So, here are just a few artists that I like and have on my Nano currently:

• Something Corporate
• Beatles
• Barenaked Ladies
  
• Black Eyed Peas
• Kt Tunstall
• Blue October
  
• Ludacris
• Cat Stevens
  
• The Guess Who
• Janis Joplin
• CCR
  
• Van Morrison
• Metallica
• No Doubt/Gwen Stefani
  
• Bob Marley
  
• Matchbox Twenty
• The Beach Boys
• Death Cab for Cutie
• Red Hot Chilli Peppers
  
• Foo Fighters
• Chicago
• Christina Aguilera
• Tantric
• Hinder
• Dave Matthews Band
• Ben Harper
• The Pussycat Dolls
• James Blunt
• Jack Johnson
• Nickelback
• Pink
• Shakira
• Elvis
• Billy Joel
• oh..and the list could go on and on...
  

New tunes

Okay runners, and non-runners...I need your help!

I am getting sick of the tunes I have on my Nano. Most of them have been overplayed on the radio and I need something new or different! I love all kinds of music, as long as it is upbeat for running. I will take any suggestions! I just need something different!

On another note...I just completed my last long run before my race saturday. Oh was it painful. Not really painful, but just hard to get through. I don't know what the deal was. I guess I just wasn't there....hmm.. It will be interesting to see how this trail race goes on saturday!

Happy running, y'all! I look forward do getting a lot of good suggestions for music!

Training: WEEK 18

Monday: OFF
Tuesday: 3.3 mile run
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: OFF
Friday: OFF
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: 6.31 mile run

Totals:

• 9.61 miles run

* Kind of a slump week...due to teaching and classes! Grr.

Animal School

I received this video in my email yesterday and just had to share it. For those of you who work with children, or have children will hopefully enjoy this. It sure made me think, and I know that I have worked with most of those "animals". This video is more directed towards parents, but sure made me as an educator think. The video is so true, and it emphasizes the fact that we need to look at our children/students as individuals. That's all I am going to say! Just watch the video!

Click here for the video. Make sure you have your volume up first!

Research project

Okay, now I have officially had two weeks of night classes under my belt. Am I allowed to be overwhelmed yet?

School started last thursday, and I just started seeing ONE of my students today. On top of that, when we just thought we were getting things finished with scheduling, we were informed that 7th period, which was math with 2 of my students, has now been switched to 3rd period.

That was just a little tiny piece of information that we should have been informed of. Now, we have to make some changes not only to my schedule, by my mentor's and the paraprofessionals!

I JUST WANT TO WORK WITH MY STUDENTS!

I am sick of scheduling. I HATE doing the schedules!!

Tonight I had my class called Action Research. Yes. ACTION RESEARCH. Nice.

Like most people, I was not totally thrilled with the idea of having to take a research class, let alone one at the graduate level. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind papers...but RESEARCH papers!?!?

But, I have a feeling I am really going to enjoy this course. Yep. There are 7 students (since many of the RT's dropped due to FEAR). We are planning from here on out to meet at the coffee shop on campus for class instead of in a big classroom.

But..... I am stuck. Yep. Really stuck.

I have to think of what I am going to do for my action research project, and I am having a really hard time thinking of an area to really focus on. Maybe you all out there could give me some ideas, or help... First, let me give you a little background on what action research is....

Action research is a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants (eg: educators) in order to improve a) their own educational practices, b) their understanding of these practices, and c) the situations in which the practices are carried out. Action research is the systematic study of attempts to improve educational practise by groups of participants by means of their own practical actions and by means of their own reflection upon the effects of those actions.

To sum it up: Action research is to identify an area of focus, collect data, analyze and intepret data, and then to develop a plan of action.

For example, let's say your students in your class are not progressing in essay writing as you had hoped. This would be the area of focus to research, collect data, intepret and develop a plan.

I am really struggling with an idea. Our professor wanted an idea tonight, and told us it might change a few times before we stick to one. I guess an example that was thrown out there was something along the lines of what is the best way to teach reading: the whole-word approach or phonics?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO!

I want to do something that is going to be benificial for not only me as a teacher, but my students as well.

I guess something that I brought up had to do with how much a child's environment effects their learning. For example, let's say we have a student who was labeled ED in another school, has transfered to a new school, and shows NO signs of an Emotional Disturbance. Could it be possible that her past school environment played a huge role in her being "labeled" ED?

I guess I will have to sleep on this project. Did I happen to mention that I am mentally drained right now? I can only imagine what kind of zombie I will be in a couple months!

A few miles later...

Went for a run tonight when I got out of class at 7pm. Couldn't have been a more beautiful time of the day. Gorgious. 75 degrees, sunny, with a cool breeze.

I took off at a good pace. I felt like I had nothing holding me back and that I have been running for years. What a wonderful feeling... it has been almost a week since I had ran last.

So, a few miles later, I came to a stop and felt GREAT.

This semester just started last week, but getting situated with night classes and trying to figure out my schedule for school (which can take FOREVER in special education) has been a little stressful and but more so time-consuming and mind-consuming. I haven't reached that high level of stress yet. I hope that won't kick in until october/november. First sign of that will be grinding my teeth in my sleep. Anyone who has shared a room with me (cdoc?!?!) could agree with this!

Well, back to the homework/paperwork! Happy runnings, y'all!


P.S. Neese ---> I plan on doing the 5K Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning in my hometown! So I will have a little over 10 weeks to train for that! I am not a speed runner, so I made need some advice from you all out there!

Training: WEEK 17

Graduate school, teaching, and other weekend stuff is really cramping my training... crappy. 13 more days until the 10K! I should really be doing some hills, but for those of you who aren't from around here, ther are NO HILLS in this city. And I have NO gym to go to for running on the thrillmill with the incline.

What will I train for next? I just love the idea of training for something. I think my goal will be to improve my 5K time! You folks heard it here first! Now you just got to hold me to it!

P.S. The Twins lost today. But they took this series! Now they head back to MN to beat the Royals tuesday night!

Monday: 3.45 miles overall (1.19 mile run, 1.07 mile walk with dog, & 1.19 mile run)
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: 2.5 miles run
Thursday: OFF
Friday: OFF
Saturday: OFF (I did do some canoing with my sister...does that count?)
Sunday: OFF

WEEK 17 Totals:

• __5.95_ miles ran

Back to Reality

Oh yes. It is time to get back to reality. We returned to GF this morning after spending a beautiful weekend at "the lake". That is what people refer to going to a lake up in these parts of the woods. We drove into MN for our cousin's bachelorette party and it was great! So much fun! We stayed in this little cabin right off the water. We spent most of saturday soaking up the rays either by laying on the docks, canoeing, peddle boating, floating ontop of rafts, or chilling with a refreshing drink on the pontoon! The pontoon was my favorite! We couldn't have had a more beautiful weekend! Thanks Linds for a well-planned weekend!

So, now it is back to the grind. I am looking forward to spending my afternoon finishing up some homework and watching the Twins....wish them luck!

On a more serious note... I have come across a bloggers post and couldn't post myself without mentioning this. There is this runner over in Senegal, named Naomi. She mentions how the people over there run around playing volleyball, soccer, or just plain running in these plastic-like shoes. She is back in NY trying to put something together where people can send her their old running shoes, becuase we all know where they end up when we are done... Our old running shoes may sounds like nothing to us, since they have served their purpose and most of us now wear them to mow the lawn or run quick errands... but to people who like to be active in "plastic shoes" they would probably be excited! If you are interested here is Naomi's post that refers to this and has her email address.

Happy runnings, y'all!

1 Book Down...

Just finished reading one of my shorter books for class... thought I would share this quote from the conclusion...

"It is often the small moments of interaction that matter most: smiling at a child, winking approval, sharing encouraging words when things aren't going well; firmly, consistently, and gently correcting behavior when needed. It is wise for us to be guided by the fact that ultimately it will not matter how many beautiful cars or homes we owned or rounds of golf we played, but touching the lives of children will."

From Connecting with Students, by Allen N. Mendler

BOOOYAAA!!!

Yes! I just said BOOOYAAA!!

But you would if you were me! I finally just got up the guts to check my grades from summer school, and after I tell you why I was afraid to, you will understand why I am soooo excited!

So, I took 7 courses this summer...in a 9 week period. Yep. Well, my one class, crisis intervention, that was only a week long (that being the first week of summer school), we had this take home final. ...

2 scenarios...and we had to basically tell what we would do based on what we learned from the class. ... .

well, we had atleast 2 weeks to complete it and put it in her box...

..did that...

...and mind you I never do a half-ass job on any of my assignments for T&L....

..from there, she finally returned them to us...

.... 7 weeks later...

...I had so much writing (and coffee stains) on those 5 pages that you would have thought I was an idiot!... I thought I was going to puke...

*turn page*


"Watch your sentence structures." .. .. 15/25 ---->60%

*OH MY GOD*

Turn a few more pages... 12/25 --->48%

*Gulp*

Overall ---> 54% ON MY FINAL!!!

I was mad. So mad. I wanted to cry. I figured that this would bring my grade down to atleast a B...What the heck! I thought I knew what I was talking about.. There was so much writing on my paper, but NOTHING that told me what I did wrong! GRRR...

So, as you can see, this is why I was afraid to check my grades...but I got over it and had to find out...

7 A's ACROSS THE BOARD!!

WAHOOO!!

I am so excited! This calls for a drink!...sometime...in..the..near...future... hmmm...

It's started..

With the finish of the fourth day of inservice today, I had to rush to my first night class. Yes. It has officially started. I am back at school. Tonight we started our assessment course, and I think it is going to be great! Our professional is young and has much experience in many different areas of Special Education.

We started our night out with an opening group activity. For those of you who were not lucky enough to participate in any education courses in college, you have definitely missed out on the fun "ice breakers"!

Well, tonight's "ice breaker" topped them all off. There are 16 of us in class. And we all have gotten to know each other quite well through our summer classes. Tonight, we had to get into groups of 4 and and try to think of how we were in common. Sounds easy, but is kind of difficult. Once, we figured out our commonality, we had to find a song that matched that! Yes. A song! That's not it folks. From there, once we found a song, we had to sing a line or two from that song, and the rest of our classmates had to figure out what it was that we had in common!

I don't sing. I do. But I can't. I was not looking forward to this. But, all in all, it was very fun. We struggled so much with finding a song. We went from "Superfreak" to the "If you go ta, North Dakota..." since we were all from ND, to "Don't Stop, thinking about tomorrow..." except we changed it to "CAN'T stop thinking about tomorrow.." since school pretty much starts tomorrow.. It was fun.

So I have tons of homework already. And here I am blogging. But, I just had share my wonderful first day of classes! Tomorrow night I have a different class with the same professor...so it should be fun!

Oh and P.S. My campus gym closed on the 31st of July due to the new one opening, but now I have NO gym to go to in the meantime. They had to close down to trade in the old machines for newer ones, but due to changes in some of the new gyms plans, the gym will not be opening until the 25th of September! A whole month with no gym to go to! Grrrr...

Happy Runnings, y'all!

Training: WEEK 16

I think this week has been an overall successful training week. We'll see what next week looks like... just a little worried about that...

Happy Runnings, y'all!


Training: Week 16

Monday: 6.0 mile run
Tuesday: OFF (very sore)
Wednesday: OFF (raining)
Thursday: 2.75 mile run, volleyball
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 8.06 mile run
Sunday: 9 mile bike

WEEK 16 Totals:

• _16.81_ miles run
• __9__ miles bike
• __0__ miles rollerblade

8 Miles!

Yes! I finally did it! I ran 8.06 miles (to be exact) today! Wahoo! Two long runs in one week. Crazy! I am not even going to post how long it took me becuase I did do quite a bit of walking the last couple miles. My dad was joking with me that I would be dragging his butt through the Badlands of Medora for our 10K in a few weeks. I don't think so. He has more strength and endurance than I do. He'll probably drag my rear over the finish line.... I just hope it won't be too warm. The weather in the AM here as been quite pleasing, so I hope it stays the same for the next few weeks.

Happy Runnings, y'all!

For Your Information...

For those of you who read my blog occasionally, this is a little FYI for you all....

Starting Monday, things will be different. Very different. This girl won't be able to go out on weeknights (which is a very good thing). I will be teaching all day, during the week, and taking night classes tuesday, wednesday, and thursday. I will be using my weekends to do paperwork and homework. Somewhere in there, I will HAVE to find time to keep up with my running. HAVE TO! It is one of those things that keeps my stress level down and makes me feel good, especially when things are getting crazy at work and with school.

So, with that in mind, I will probably be making less posts about running, a lot about teaching and classes. I love what I do, and enjoy sharing with others stories of my students and their successes, as well as stories that make me laugh! This school year is going to be quite interesting with juggling everything and the whole experience itself.

Looking back on last school year (as an LD teacher) I will miss my students so much. There are always those that you can't get enough of, those that make you laugh, those that drive you crazy on occasion, those that ask you questions or say things that you will never forget, and those that cause sleepless nights as well. I will miss them all equally. They were all special in their own unique way and I will miss them for that. I hope they learned as much from me as I learned from them. You never know what they are going to say or ask.

I had one student that took his sweet time in the bathroom, and I thought he was using it as a way to get out of reading, but found out after I asked him what took him so long that he was actually constipated and ended having to announce it in front of a couple other students. Poor child, I will learn to never address that in front of classmates again.

I also had another student that asked me a question that I will probably never forget. This little girl was such a sweetheart. Barely said anything, even when she finally started to warm up to us in the spring. She was quiet and very reserved. But one of the last weeks of school she turned to me and said, "Ms. S, what does LD mean?" My heart just dropped. How do you explain to a young second grader what LD means in a way that won't make her feel down or think less of herself. It was definitely something that made me think....

I must be getting to bed...I have a long saturday ahead of me. Hopefully a long run in the AM, work in the afternoon, and a friend's bachelorette party in the evening. Fun times!

Happy Runnings, y'all!


P.S. The TWINS had an awesome night! Go TWINS!

Don't Push It

I was going to try and get up this morning before work, but there was no daylight at 5:30. It's been a while since I have been up that early. There wasn't much daylight at 6:30 either... So, I went out for a run today after my 2nd day of inservice.

I think I was rushing it. I was afraid it was going to rain, and it was still pretty humid but not too warm.

I pushed myself a little too hard. I was hoping to do 4 miles, but had to turn around shortly after completing my first mile.

Total miles: 2.75

I turned around becuase I was walking too much. I had the WORST side stitch EVER! I could have sworn that I had ripped something on my lower left side...ouch!

Needless to say, there was little to desire from that run.

On a lighter note... I thought I would share a song. Single, by Natasha Bedingfield. Check out the lyrics:

Ah yeah that's right
All you single people out there
This is for you

I'm not waitin' around for a man to save me
(Cos I'm happy where I am)
Don't depend on a guy to validate me
(No no)
I don't need to be anyone's baby
(Is that so hard to understand?)
No I don't need another half to make me whole

Make your move if you want doesn't mean I will or won't
I'm free to make my mind up you either got it or you don't

[Chorus:]
This is my current single status
My declaration of independence
There's no way I'm tradin' places
Right now a star's in the ascendant

I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be

Ah yeah Uh Huh that's right

Don't need to be on somebody's arm to look good
(I like who I am)
I'm not saying I don't wanna fall in love 'cos I would
I'm not gonna get hooked up just 'cos you say I should
(Can't romance on demand)
I'm gonna wait so I'm sorry if you misunderstood

[Chorus]

Everything in it's right time everything in it's right place
I know I'll settle down one day
But 'til then I like it this way it's my way
Eh I like it this way

Make your move if you want doesn't mean I will or won't
I'm free to make my mind up you either got it or you don't
'Til then I'm single

This is my current single status
My declaration of independence
There's no way I'm tradin' places
Right now a star's in the ascendant

"If you're not 1st....you're last!!"

"If you're not 1st... you're last. That is what you taught me."


"What are you talking about! I was high when I said that. It doesn't make any sense, Ricky!"

I went to the movie Talladega Nights last night with a couple friends! Hilarious! Hil-lar-i-ous (that's for JTA!). There were many parts that were very funny, and a few I thought "He could do better than this" in reference to Will Farrell. But, overall I enjoyed the movie, and can't wait to see it again to recall some of the more funnier lines! This movie almost made me a Nascar fan.. .. . almost.

Well, with that note, I didn't make it to bed until close to midnight, which resulted in me sleeping later and not getting up to run this morning before my 1st day of inservice. Gosh darnit. What a long day. So much information. Somewhat boring. Tomorrow we have inservice at our school for part of the day and we are using the rest of the day to prepare our classroom! Yeah!

So, I wanted to go for a run soooo bad tonight, but we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 11pm! Yeah right. And the county right next to ours has a Tornado Warning right now! Like this girl is going to attempt anything outdoors, where there is no shelter, and a chance of getting eatin' up by a scary twister....nope. I AM NOT GOING TO DO IT! If anyone knows anything about me, I am really scared of twisters but interested in them at the same time... as long as they are anywhere but near me! EEkkks...

Maybe I will be able to get up tomorrow morning before heading to school.. I know I won't run tomorrow evening since I have VOLLEYBALL!!! Yahooo!! Who is excited now!!

5 Years

It's almost been five years. It will be on the 23 of September. Almost 5 years since I started working my "part-time" job!

Ahhh.

That is the longest I have worked anywhere, and to be honest I am soooo suprised that I have worked there that long!

I thought that it would be something where I would quit after the holidays, since that is what I was hired for...

Then I thought I would be done by the time I graduated from college.

Then I said that I would quit once I got a "real job". .... ... Last year I got my first teaching job that also required me to commute, but continued to work there anywhere from 6-15 hours a week. At one point I was working as a Sales Lead during the fall.

Then, I said to myself, this spring "If I get into the Resident Teaching program for Graduate School, I will FOR SURE have to quit before summer school, or when the school year starts at the latest!"....

I am still working there... yep...and I am planning on working there every other sunday through the school year as long as it works with my schedule!

Looking back on my experience there, it has been quite the ride. I think I have worked every position their, sometimes more than once when employees became scarse. My favorite being the Sales Lead...but that was always temporary and with school and teaching, I was never available enough to become a permanent Sales Lead.... boo hooo...

But, overall I have really enjoyed working there. Lots. Sometimes I have been ready to pull my hair out with lack of patience for holiday employees that just didn't get how to present themselves in a customer service environment, or just didn't get that they had to ACTUALLY work!

Today I ordered my gift from the company in recognition of my five years of dedicated service and commitment! Yeah. They sent out a catalog of things to choose from! I chose the fossil watch. Yep. I needed a new watch and this couldn't have been a more perfect time!

A little pat on my back for a job well done! Who knows...I may be a lifer! You know you don't make much on a teacher salary! Hahahaha!

6 miles to start the week

What a great way to start the last week of my summer. I got up this morning and was out the door before 8, planning on running 6 miles! Yep! And that is what I did! The weather couldn't have been better. It was 56 degrees with a cool breeze when I left and 66 with sun shining by the time I got back home.

Now, I only have a couple days this week to do absolutely nothing, but don't think I will have much time to do that! I need to head out and get some supplies for school, pick up my books, and run a few other errands today. Inservice starts Wednesday! Yikes!

Happy runnings, y'all!

Training: WEEK 15

Okay, this week was PATHETIC.


I know I have said that a lot lately, but it was pathetic! I only ran twice. I was planning on doing a good 6 or 7 miles today and didn't, becuase for some reason Mother Nature decides that she was not going to give us any rain for two months, and then rain for 12 hours straight here, starting last night and into this morning..... I was PLANNING on running this morning before heading to work at noon!

Now, I have been on my feet for 5 hours and was NOT going to run in the heat this evening.

Nope.

News Flash: I only have less than 4 weeks until the 10K! Yikes! I need to get my butt in gear! I am getting nervous and hope that I will be ready! There will be so much going on with classes starting and school starting next thursday! Wow!

Happy Runnings, y'all!

Training: WEEK 15

Monday: 2.3 mile run, 30 sets of bleachers (up and down)
Tuesday: 3.62 mile run
Wednesday: 4.3 mile rollerblade
Thursday: volleyball
Friday: OFF
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: OFF


WEEK 15 Totals:

• __5.92__ miles run
• __0__ miles bike
• __0__ miles swim
• __4.3__ miles rollerblade
  

Memories

Good News: The "ex" is leaving the state...

Bad News: I will NEVER see Duke again...


sniff, sniff




This was the week Duke was brought home from the pet store... I believe he was only 10 weeks old. Now his paw is twice the size... atleast..

This was Duke's first trip to the Vet... only a few months old!


And this is a more current picture.... Duke giving my youngest sister a hug! Duke loves to give hugs... (and yes, she is standing!)

Here is Duke posing with my sister's fiance on the left and Benny on the right!

Oh the memories...I am sure going to miss this boy! He was quite the cuddler. He definitely thinks he is smaller than he really is, since he insists on cuddling with anyone on the couch!

80's...yuck...

I guess the producers of Regis and Kelly thought it would be cool to do this 80's theme this week on their show.

Not so cool.

Not a pretty sight.

Each day I watch...only to see if their 80's guest is still any good. Well, I am not the biggest fan of 80's music. And these bands are making music again and it has been really hard to watch!

Like today, they had Loverboy on...I believe yesterday was Rick Springfield singing Jessie's Girl... goodness it was just rediculous!

A little update from the past few days: ...No classes, so I haven't done much... ....Worked a few hours at B&BW..... ....did some running.... ....had a few beers..... ....played some fun volleyball... ...and didn't do a darn thing to organize myself (and apartment) in preparation for my classes beginning and getting back into my classroom....

As for the rest of the week: ...dinner with my sister and our cousin before she leaves us to move to England.... ....wedding dress shopping with the Sister and family.... ...and if I am lucky, a long run on sunday!

A few pics from last night....














Me & B-rent















Sis, Britt, Me, Ben
(Left to right)


Happy runnings, y'all!

A Few Pictures from Vacation!

Not the greatest picture...but here is my buddy.... Justin Morneau...on one of his off nights! (8.1.06)

Rest period at the Wave Pool! Ahhhh, so much fun! For those of you who know "of" these girls, the two in the middle are the sisters! My God-daughter being the second one in from the right! (8.3.06)

And this is me...with my cousin's little baby! Fun times at the cabin! (8.5.06)

Training: WEEK 14

Well, I am back on GF now. So sad. I don't know what I will do with myself now. School starts in a little over 2 weeks. Well, Inservice does. Yikes. Well, I will still be doing a very little work at B&BW. So, I will probably just spend some time reading in the sun and getting back on track with my running!

Did I mention that I am no longer training for a half marathon. Nope. I am not ready. Mentally or physically. Instead, Dad and I are planning to do a 10K run that same day on the trails in Medora! I think that will be fun! And beautiful!

Well, I was able to do a short run on friday morning before we headed to Lake Sakakawea! (Thanks CDoc for the spelling...I knew that at one point but forgot!) And then, on Saturday, shockingly, I was able to get up and run out at the lake! I did not use my Garmin, but I am thinking I went atleast 3.5 miles due to the time it took me. First time running on gravel...not too bad...except for those darn grass hoppers.

Enough about that. I will post more later with some pictures from my vacation...hopefully!



Training: WEEK 14

Monday: 7.82 miles bike
Tuesday: OFF - in the Twin cities
Wednesday: OFF - in the Twin cities
Thursday: OFF
Friday: 2.57 miles run
Saturday: 3.5 miles run
Sunday: OFF


WEEK 14 TOTALS:

• __6.07__ miles (run)
• __7.82__ miles (bike)
• __0__ laps (swim)

laziness

Oh what a week...so far. I don't know if vacations are good for the running soul. Not mine.

I haven't ran since my four miles on saturday. Isn't that pathetic?!?! I golfed 9 holes in excruciating heat on sunday, biked close to 8 miles on monday and haven't done squat since.

Unless you count walking to and from the metrodome in downtown minneapolis... for two little-to-desire-Twins-games. Yeah, they weren't doing so hot. we went to the game tuesday night to watch them hand over 8 runs in the fourth inning. Yuck. Then wednesday afternoons game we thought was going to be better, since they sent their pitcher from tuesday back to the minor leagues and snatched a minor leaguer for wednesday. Not so much. Not impressed. Did I mention that I was tempted to ask the vendor at the metrodome if I could trade my Morneau t-shirt I purchased the night before for something else. I was disappointed in him...and Hunter...and Rodriguez... do you want me to go on?

Anyway. I am hoping they plan better tonight with Radke pitching.

I was to run this morning. Didnt' happen. What is wrong with me. Instead I slept in. Read a little of my book. Then drove to pick up my four youngest cousins and take them to the wave pool. Oh, it was so much fun! So much fun! I think they had a blast. We also hit up Dairy Queen afterwards and my god-daughter, who is 7 insisted on getting a medium sized blizzard while I kept telling her that she wouldn't be able to finish it. She won the battle. She finished hers, and my SMALL blizzard. Boy did she prove me wrong!

Tomorrow I will be heading to the lake. Lake Sakajawea! Fun times in the sun to come! And, probably no running.... hmmm.. Maybe I will be able to get my butt up in the morning and accomplish something...

Happy running, y'all!

Training: WEEK 13

This past week was pretty rough with finishing summer school. Hopefully next week I will be able to get in some more miles!



Monday: 1.44 mile run (very hot outside)
Tuesday: Cardio Abs
Wednesday: 3.32 mile run (indoor)
Thursday: OFF
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 4.21 mile run(587 cal.)
Sunday: Golfed 9 holes (in 90-100 degree weather)

WEEK 13 TOTALS:

• _8.97_ miles (run)
• __0__ miles (bike)
• __0__ laps (swim)

1/3 Down....2/3 to Go!

Yes! I am officially done with summer school! I can't believe how much I learned this summer to prepare myself for the school. Between Assistive Technology, Behavior Problems, Behavior Management, Advanced Methods for Learning Disabilities, Special Education Law, Inclusive Methods, & Transition to Adult Life, I must have learned something! So I am 1/3 of the way done with graduate school! It's nice when you look at it that way!

Anyway. I have a couple weeks off, and then I start back up again. The way this program works is that I will be teaching during the day, with the help of a mentor teacher, and taking night classes! In the fall I will be taking three night classes on top of getting credit for being out in the field. I will be working at a small town k-12 school, so I will be able to work will all grade levels. I beleive I will have four or five students at the elementary level and four or five at the highschool level. It is going to be a busy crazy year and I know that it will be over before I blink!

With that note, I thought I would end with a great poem my Inclusive Methods teacher showed us. It couldn't portray teaching any better! Enjoy.

THE STARFISH POEM
Once upon a time there was a wise man
who used to go to the ocean
to do his writing.
He had a habit of walking
on the beach
before he began his work.
One day he was walking along
the shore.
As he looked down the beach,
he saw a human
figure moving like a dancer.
He smiled to himself to think
of someone who would
dance to the day.
So he began to walk faster
to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw
that it was a young man
and the young man wasn't dancing,
but instead he was reaching
down to the shore,
picking up something
and very gently throwing it
into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out,
"Good morning! What are you doing?"
The young man paused,
looked up and replied,
"Throwing starfish in the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked,
why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"
"The sun is up and the tide is going out.
And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
"But, young man, don't you realize that
there are miles and miles of beach
and starfish all along it.
You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely.
Then bent down, picked up another starfish
and threw it into the sea,
past the breaking waves and said-
"It made a difference for that one."

That feeling

Over the past week, I have come to the realization of the importance of being active. For me. I am what some might call, addicted to exercising. In a good way. I find myself stressing, especially this past week, over the miles I didn't run, or the miles I didn't put on my bike, or how I haven't even touched my swim gear in two weeks. It is driving me crazy.

My schedule has been so out of wack, and I have been having a hard time changing MY sleeping pattern to get my butt out of bed in the morning to run a few miles. All while knowing that when I get home at 5 o'clock I am NOT going to want to venture out in the 90+ degree weather with the sun attempting to burn my poor shoulders and give my that wonderful raccoon look on my face from my shades.

I love the feeling after a NICE 3 mile run as well as the feeling after a hard 3 mile run. I love the feeling after 8+ mile struggle on the bike with the wind coming from all directions, except from the back. The wind is never behind me giving me that extra push. I love the feeling that leaves your legs shaking with exhaust when you jump off your bike and attempt to walk. I love the feeling of getting in the pool, when you know it is 90+ degrees outside, and you are submerged in a cool pool. The feeling after you do a lap and are sometimes so winded you don't know how you are going to do 8 or more. The feeling of accomplishment after completing 8 laps and then pulling yourself out of the pool and feeling complete exhaustion, as if you had just worked your body harder than you ever had before in the pool. The feeling that your body has reached a point of starvation becuase you had work pretty much every muscle in your body to a point of fatigue in that darn pool.

But....

I don't like the feeling of not being able to get out there and do any of those things. I don't like those days where you just can't seem to fit in that run. I know for a fact that if I am able to get my butt out of bed at 5:30 in the morning to do a few miles, I will be able to go the rest of the day without feeling guilty, feeling as if I cheated myself and my body, and feeling as if I DID accomplish something today. I don't like that feeling when I look at my training log and realized that I haven't been on my bike for over 2 weeks. Or I haven't swam in a week+.

I realized today, that I am not the only one that has that feeling. That feeling has most definitely turned into an addiction. This is an addiction for me. A good one, I suppose. But, sometimes it consumes my mind. I was reading TriSaraTops entry earlier while catching up on some reading of other blogs and I knew exactly what she was talking about. It was soo true. So true.

As for today, I didn't like the feeling that I couldn't get out of bed this morning to run 3 miles, even though it was a perfect 59 degrees outside with no rain (like yesterday). But, I am planning on hitting up the gym at 4 after class, hoping to run those three miles I didn't do this morning. And maybe...just maybe I will like that feeling so much that I will go further. Further than three miles.

Happy runnings, y'all!

Training: WEEK 12

Monday: 3.2 mile run, 20 min. ab & ab jam
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: 4.17 mile run
Thursday: OFF
Friday: OFF
Saturday: Turbo Sculpt (40min.)
Sunday: 2 mile bike

WEEK 12 TOTALS:

• _7.37_ miles (run)
• __2__ miles (bike)
• __0__ laps (swim)

Crap Week

It's been a while since I have blogged.


But, I have been busy.


It's definitely been a CRAP WEEK.


Just class, homework...and then stressing over this....









Yeah. That's my car. WAS my car. And now it's totalled. It's been an awful week. I am not too happy about that. The accident wasn't my fault. I was able to walk away from the crash with nothing but shock.

The interesting thing was, I was heading to the bank to deposit a couple checks and then off to put gas in my car, get a car wash, and then an oil change. Oddly enough.

So with all that, I haven't done much running. Only a couple times this week. Hopefully this coming week will be better.

Heat, heat, and more heat....

Well, I think I just ran at the worst time of day. EVER. What was I thinking. I just completed 3.23 miles at 6pm. I came home to turn the local news on and found that it was 84 degrees. Oops. It didn't feel that warm when I left class at 430, but it was warm when I ran. Atleast a lot of my path was shaded, and there was somewhat of a wind. Plus, I wasn't feeling too exhausted, and new better to turn around if I did. I knew if I didn't run now, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my evening with my homework! I should have just gotten up this morning at 530. Oh well. Tomorrow.

I was quite upset with my Garmin today. I actually had to keep myself from yelling profanities at it. Made me think of RR!! Hehehe. But I was upset. For the first time in a long time, I just ran out 1.6 miles and turned around. I guess it was my intention to really see how well this garmin worked. Well, on the way back, it said that it wasn't getting a signal....right after I had looked at it and it said my pace was 30:14. I DON'T THINK SO!! So, when I got back to my apartment, it said I had only got 3.08 miles! Ha! That is impossible if I went out 1.6 miles I should have been at 3.2 miles. How frustrating! Makes me wonder how many runs of mine in the past were actually longer than I clocked!

While out running, I noticed how so many of the yards around here are dryer than dry. Not good. ND could really use a good week of rain. With us being in a state of drought, it's not only our yards that are suffering.... so are our wheat fields! We all are wishing for rain...and lots of it!

Happy runnings, y'all!

8 Seconds, 6.2 Mile Walk, & White Wedding

8 SECONDS:

Friday night, Dad and I went to the PBR! Professional Bull Riding! It was my first time and I was so excited! I have wanted to go for quite a few years, and was excited to hear that it was taking place the weekend I was going to be home AND that my Dad was interested in going!

We went friday night and there were 43 bullriders. Only 8 rode in the long go, so they had to draw a couple more for the short go. Jason Bennett took the lead that night with riding in the long go and the short go, but he took third overall, after saturday night!

What was really exciting was to see Chris Shivers ride! He is awesome. He usually doesn't do these short shows, but did this one, becuase he likes ND, and was only able to ride in the long go. He is worth a lot of money people.

Another exciting thing to see was Little Yellow Jacket! The Bull. From Mandan, ND! Wahoo! He is one awesome bull, 1700 lbs. He is retired now. But, we got to see a bullrider attempt to ride his son Red Jacket that night! What a great experience!


6.2 MILE WALK:
Saturday morning we (Mom, Dad, Sis2, and me) got up early to do the 6 mile walk for the Prairie Rose State Games. We decided to head out early, since it was to get to 110 degrees that day! Yeeks. Boy, was it warm by the time we were done. I still forget how many hills are in Bismarck. Wow! What a workout!

WHITE WEDDING:
Last night we went up to Minot to go to a friends wedding. Beautiful. It was outdoors, at the park and was gorgeous. Fun times. Even in the hot hot hot weather! The bride was beautiful!


As for the coming week, I start a new session of two classes. They will go for the next two weeks from 8-5 and I am wondering when I am going to get my runs in. I hate to have to run indoors on the treadmill, but I will not be running outdoors at 5pm...yuck. Too hot!

Happy Runnings, y'all!

Training: WEEK 11

Monday: 4.1 mile run, 20 min. ab
Tuesday: 8 lap swim, 20 min. ab & ab jam
Wednesday: 1.5 mile run, cardio/ab
Thursday: 1.55 mile run, 8 lap swim
Friday: 5.56 mile run
Saturday: 6.2 mile walk (Prairie Rose games)
Sunday: body sculpting

WEEK 11 TOTALS:

• __12.8_ miles (run)
• _6.2__ miles (walk)
  
• _0__ miles (bike)
• _16__ laps (swim) (1/2 mile)
  

What the heck?!

First off, since I was scheduled to do 5 miles on wednesday and did only 1.5, I attempted to run at the gym yesterday before my scheduled 1/4 mile swim with my sister. Yeah, that was a joke. I figured I could get a few miles in, but when I showed up they said that they were probably going to have to close the gym due to the temperature in there. It was 87.5 degrees, and they close it at 88 degrees. 88 DEGREES! Good thing we are getting a new Wellness Center, this one doesn't have central air, I swear. So, I got on to run and was sweating in no time. She came to inform me that they were closing at 3pm, so I was just able to get in 1.5 miles. What a joke. Grr.

Sis and I swam 1/4 mile and were exhausted. It is so different when you HAVE to swim the whole length of the pool without stopping!

Well, this morning I had scheduled my long run since I was going to be out of town the rest of the weekend (wedding & taking part in the Prairie Rose games 6 mile walk on saturday). So, after a late night of volleyball, I got up at 5:20 this morning to run 8 miles. I ate a peice of toast, drank some water and hit the road. I probably made it to 3 miles and my left toes were bothering me. It was hurting so bad that I had to stop, take my shoe and sock off to see what was rubbing. Oh, just a blister. That had just POPPED. Plus, another blister was forming on another toe!

What the heck?! Why now? Why today, of all days.

So I struggled with that pain. By the time I reached 4.5 miles, I was really struggling with pain on my right shin.

What the heck?!

I figured, what is 3.5 more miles now, thinking I could just force myself to finish and be done with it. Nope. Did A LOT of walking. Too much to even mention. I was disgusted. I was upset. I had to turn home.

I did 5.5 miles and not a tenth more. I was not happy. So I numbed the heck out of my shins and knees. This is not looking good. I am starting to have a bad attitude about this training business. Why now? I ran 7 miles two weeks ago with barely a problem. Ughhh...

Maybe my next post will be a little more positive!

Oh, the humanity...I mean, HUMIDITY

I am getting really sick of the humidity. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't mixed with 80-90 degree weather and no breeze.

Last night as I was thinking about my 5 miler I had planned for the morning, I was watching the weather channel, hoping that at 6am, the weather was going to be somewhat cool with a little breeze.

Well, I got up at 6am, and was out the door by 6:30 ( I don't know what I did with that half hour), and off I went. Wow. It was already 68 degrees, sun was up and IN-CHARGE...

I felt a slight breeze, somewhat warm, when I started out. Until about I reached about .3 miles and I didn't feel it ever again. Nope. I was sweating profusely. It didn't help that I woke up this morning hot. You know those times you get up and you wish you would have had a fan blowing on your DIRECTLY, or slept under the air-conditioner....I hate that feeling...

So, anways.... I didn't make it that far. I knew before I left the apartment that I wasn't going to do my 5 miles, I figured I would split it in half between today and tomorrow. Well, I got to my 1mile and had to go to the bathroom really bad. I will spare you the details, lets just say I got home as soon as I could.

Tomorrow, I think I am just going to bike in the morning and maybe swim in the afternoon. We will be having our first volleyball game (of our second session) tomorrow night! I can't wait! We are getting t-shirts done, so watch for photos on my upcoming posts!

On a different note ---> WATER....

We all know what is good for us. And in my previous post I discussed an article I read in Runner's World on how much water should be taken in while running. I was doing so research today and came across some things that we all probably know already:

Breaking down body fat and body muscle during weight loss produces wastes that must be eliminated through the kidneys. Drinking enough water is important to keep the kidneys functioning to remove these wastes.
Drinking 500 mL of water (a half-liter or about a pint) increased the study participants' metabolism briefly - for about a half hour. In that time they burned an extra 25 calories.


They say....8 glasses a day! Wow...that is a lot. I know I drink a lot of water already, but some people just don't like it... how is a person to take in all that water in a way that they can enjoy it? Any ideas? Any thoughts?

Swimming & Reading

Swimming & reading today...not together, though...

Sis and I swam this afternoon.... 8 laps! Go us! They lengthened the pool (actually took out the pool divider) so we struggled with trying to figure out our actual difference... so we swam 8 full lengths of the pool, which we figured was 400 meters...equaling a quarter of a mile. Phew... that was a lot of work! 1 full length of the pull is a lot harder than half...no stopping...wow...

Earlier this afternoon, while sitting outside and enjoying the heat, I was reading. Yes. Fun reading. NO homework. I actually have some time this week to do some reading for fun! Oh, have I missed this favorite pass-time of mine. Unfortunately this available time won't last for ever...just a few days...

Anyway. I was reading. Runner's World. And there was a story in there about drinking water and running. I know for SURE that I am not the only runner out there that worries about NOT drinking enough water and drinking TOO much water while running. Here is the basic overview of the article....
You've got two terms ---> dehydration and hyponatremia (overhydration and diluting of blood-sodium levels)

• It used to be said that you could never get too much fluids while running. Then there were cases of hyponatremia where people died and that changed. But now, it basically stated that if you are thirsty, you should drink some, and if you aren't, don't force yourself to drink.
• No two people are alike. Listen to your body.
• Pay attention to the color of your urine (I know...gross). But, if it is clear, you are drinking too much; if it is darker, like the color of ice tea, you are NOT drinking enough

I just thought this was all very interesting and good to know.

Another question...I suppose I could just research it, but that wouldn't be like me...

What is lactic acid, and what causes it? I know people get build-up from it during running..but what really causes it??

Ha! I knew there would be atleast 1 Twins player participating in the All Star Game! JOE MAUER!!!! I was searching to find the AL and NL roster, but was unsuccessful...Now I guess I just have to watch the game!

Must get to bed, gotta get up at the b*tt-crack of dawn to avoid heat and humidity... 'cause when they combine, it can be miserable!

Happy Runnings!

RUNNING...and other stuff

RUNNING:
I haven't run since my long run friday morning. Here's the report:
Got up. Got ready. Drank some water. Stretched. Grabbed my Garmin, Nano, and Heart monitor. Out the door I went. USUALLY, it only takes a couple minutes for the Garmin to register. Nope. Not this morning. I sat in the grass for nearly a half hour waiting. Then I just decided to go. This changed my route completely. I had to go a way that I new were mile 1 and mile 2 were, so when my Garmin DID register, I could hit start. Mile 2, it was ready. So I am running. It is already after 8am. Very humid. Miserably humid. I am running. And running. I reach mile 4.5 and am dying of thirst. I take a detour and run through a park hoping to get water from the water fountain. I forgot that it wasn't working the last time Sis and I went through, so I hit up the sink in the bathroom. Gross. Warm water. And off I went. Now it was even hotter, about 8:30am...and more humid. Since I had to take a detour, my route was all messed up, and I ended up doing some running on a "highway". Yeah. then I finally found a path and was almost hit by a dirk truck. He saw me, I slowed down, he didn't move, then I passed him and he started to move. I almost CRAPPED my pants. Then I got close to my place and my Garmin said 7.4. My left upper thigh (probably a groin muscle) was hurting and I didn't think I could pick my legs up for another half a mile. So I got home at 7.5 miles. I didn't reach 8, but I did more than last week. Not the greatest run. Hopefully this week will be better.

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WEEKEND:
I was out of town this weekend. I hit the road after work on friday and spent a wonderful weekend with a couple of my best friends. Oh, it was so fun. Friday night we went out for dinner and then drank at their apartment while reminiscing over photos from our first three years of college. We laughed and we laughed. It was so much fun. Then we had some serious talks and that was good too! Saturday we slept in late, due to being up until 4:30 in the morning. We did a little shopping and then we had a nice homecooked meal and spent the evening watching some movies. So much fun! Thanks so much JDG and JTA for letting me stay! You guys are going to have to come up here some weekend!

--------------------------------------------------------------------
This week is going to be great. It is my last week of of classes for THIS six-week session. I am so pumped. I just have a few little things to do for my three class, and I am done. Then I start a new 2-week session next week. Yeah!
I am so sad. Summer is going to be over before I know it and I will be heading back into the classroom as a teacher and a student. Crazy!

So, this girl HAS to run in the morning, and I am looking for something different to do. Something besides running out 2 miles, and coming back. Any ideas? Anything fun that can still work as one of my shorter runs? I would love any ideas!

Well, I am off to finish my homework. Happy runnings y'all.

Training: WEEK 10

Monday: 4.4 mile run
Tuesday: went golfing, ab workout
Wednesday: 4 mile run, ab workout
Thursday: OFF, 20 min. ab workout
Friday: 7.5 mile run
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: OFF

WEEK 10 TOTALS:

• _15.9_ miles (run)
• _0_ miles (bike)
• _0_ laps (swim)

Anxious??...Nervous??...

Lately, I have noticed a reaccuring behavior before my long runs. Especially the last few weeks...

The night before, I usually find my mind wandering, thinking about my run the next morning..... and from there my stomach starts to turn with eeny weeny little butterflies. Just little ones.

Why is that?

Am I anxious? Am I nervous? What's the deal?

Tonight after my class got out at 8pm, I started to think about the things I need to do to get ready for my run in the morning:

Where am I going to find 8 miles of good ground to run on? (there are many different paths here, but none that are much longer than a couple miles).....
I need to remember to throw my powerade in the freezer (this way it is nice and slushy by the time I am done with my run).. . . ...
What time should I get up for my run, this depending on:

• when do I work tomorrow? 11am.
  
• What is the morning weather going to be like? rainy around 9am, must be done before 9am...

Is my nano charged?....I think so..
Did I drink enough water tonight? I did have to leave class tonight twice in three hours to go to the bathroom....
I should do some stretching before I go to sleep, can never stretch too much, right?
I need to put something in my tummy before I run, but not too close to my take off.
Then, what time should I hit the hay, so I get enough beauty sleep...? 10pm the latest...


I SHOULDN'T be nervous. My 7 miles last saturday went really well. I am sure that the paved paths (not cememt) along the beautiful Missouri River helped.

So.. ... my run tomorrow should go wonderful!

WHY DO I GET THIS ANXIOUS FEELING?

Could I really be that excited to run? Yeah. Maybe! I do tend to look forward to my long runs. I think I like the idea of seeing how far this body of mine can actually go! I have NEVER ran 8 consecutive miles before in my entire 25 years of living! EVER!

Wish me luck, y'all! I am off to bed...hoping to get a good 8 hours before my WONDERFUL 8 mile run! If I can find 8 miles in the darn town...

Special Education

So, tonight was the second to last night for my Special Ed Law class...Yeah! Due to the lack of participation in the class, I tend to get sleepy and find my mind wandering.. So, tonight during one of the many power point presentations, I found myself creating an acrostic poem... kinda.

Here it is:

Goals ... must be measurable, annually
Related services .. OT/PT
Accommodations & modifications
Discussions, discussions, discussions
Under pressure
Assessments
Time?.... time to do what?
Evaluations ... every 3 years or sooner

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Children are our primary focus
Highly qualified teachers ... it will never end
On the mind ....
Out the mouth - - > ADHD students
Least restrictive environment

Skimming...it's the new way to read in graduate school
Progress monitoring
Education, Free & Appropriate Public (FAPE)
Charting, charting, & some more charting
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA 2004)
Alphabet soup ... ED, EBD, MR, DCD, HI, VI, OHI, ODD, OCD, ADHD, etc.
Laws ... regulations ... how do we remember them all?!

Eligibility
Discipline
Unique learners taught on an individual basis
Characteristics of services
Autism; 1 in 166 children diagnosed
Technology, assistive
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
One percent rule for alternate assessments
No Child Left Behind. ... PERIOD.

4 miles

Jog/walked 4 miles this morning. Very humid...and warm already. Plus, my Garmin batteries went dead halfway through the run. Real cool. I think I was still tired from the weekend and golfing yesterday! Not the greatest workout today, but I completed it. I also did an ab workout. I am sure I will be feeling that tomorrow....

Happy runnings, y'all!

Happy Independence Day!

What a wonderful weekend. Full of fun times with family and friends.

Yesterday, after a nice jog with my parents, I spent some time at the "art in the park" with mom and came home empty handed! That's okay.

From there, SAS and I went on the river with her boy and some friends. What a beautiful time of day...

That was fun! After looking over some pictures, I wasn't too please with how I looked in a bathing suit....definitely going to work on that... eeks....

I spent the early evening playing catch with my Dad and my sisters...mom watching and taking photos..


As for this Independence Day, it's been a gorgeous day.

Got up this morning and went golfing with the family .... very interesting. I definitely need to do some practice before the family golf tournament the end of the month. Actually, we all do!

Then I spent most of the afternoon on the road back to GFK. Yeah. Not so much. I will be spending the next few hours trying to finish a couple assignments for class tomorrow...and hopefully view some fireworks from my lonesome apartment! Ha!

Tomorrow morning I will be hitting the trails for a nice run!

Happy runnings, y'all!

Monday Run

Went for a run this morning with my parents. By the time that we were finished, it was 70 degrees and the sun was hot.

It was a nice little jaunt, I kept it cool with some walking since I was somewhat sore from saturday's long run. I ran 4.4 miles today. I don't know how accurate this Garmin was, becuase it seemed like it took us forever to get our first mile down. I am going to blame it on the large trees surrounding us!

As part of our "after run" ritual...we are heading for coffee...I won't be having coffee, but will enjoy a nice frozen Berry Tea Blast...and then hopefully over to the "Art in the Park"!

Happy Runnings, y'all!

Training: WEEK 9

Monday: 3.5 mile run
Tuesday: 15 laps swim ( miles)
Wednesday: 3.14 mile run
Thursday: OFF
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 7.05 mile run
Sunday: OFF

WEEK 9 TOTALS:

• __13.66_ miles (run)
• __0_ miles(bike)
• __15_ laps (swim)

It's July and Beautifully Hot!

Quick post here.

I am on "vacation" in my hometown with my family ...fun times!

I just wanted to post my 7 miles I ran this morning. It was only 67 degrees, but there was 95% humidity and not a single breeze. Yikes. But, it went well! I for sure thought that I was going to end up taking an ice bath afterwards, but didn't need to. Nope.

Happy July y'all. Hopefully everyone wonderful weather like it! I am going to go and soak some rays now...