Merry & Bright

 

Merrily Bright Holiday Card

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Look at my Christmas card, starring BAILEY! :-)

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler

So...one of the coolest things about a race at Disney (besides the fact that you are running a race at DISNEY) is the Expo you get to attend. The expo is where you pick up your race packet (bib number, shirt, swag, etc) and it's also the place to get additional merchandise (runDisney swag or just new earbuds, etc). Another neat thing about the Disney World Expo is that its held at the ESPN Sports Complex, which is honestly something I would never get to see as I would probably not voluntarily travel there.



 

 

Anyway, we got our swag and then we went off to enjoy more of Disney World...which brings us to  the day of the race, ya'll! Ok, well, the night of the race anyway...

I worked on my 'costume' as well as Stacie's...because let's face it. You go to Disney, you better dress up like a character in some form or fashion. So...as it was a 'Villian' race, we went as the infamous Disney Villains: Malificent from Sleeping Beauty and Ursula from The Little Mermaid.

 

 

We even signed the Hollywood Tower Hotel's guest book...

 

Now, for the race details. The race takes you to a couple different locations throughout the WDW Complex.

You start just outside of Hollywood Studios (in one of the parking lots to be more precise). So you can see the Tower of Terror (your destination) in the distance, along with the gigantic Sorcerer Mickey hat (which you will also run by at the end of your race).

Each mile is marked by a villain. Sadly, not all of these markers actually have a villain character there, in some cases it was just a picture, but there was usually music associated with each marker. Having heard so many stories of Disney races, I was disappointed at how few characters there were during this race. Granted, it was the inaugural race, but still, Disney knows how to do it up...so maybe I just misinterpreted others' experiences.

Anyway, you are on a long stretch of open highway until you reach the entrance of Disney's Animal Kingdom (miles 2 and 3). Sadly, you don't get to go into that park, but we did get to hear some "Be Prepared" from The Lion King...appropriate. AND the hyenas were there!

At mile 5, I felt like we were running through a haunted trail. We were literally running through the woods and in rough terrain. I didn't think I had signed up for a trail run. It was kind of fun but I was concerned for my foot (yes, I was still battling the fractured foot) and one slip could mean I was out of not only this race, but the full marathon in a few weeks.

We survived and the woods opened up to the ESPN Sports Complex. We ran through the baseball field and around the track...

 

...and encountered my favorite alien...STITCH! We were lucky to catch him. We were his last picture before he went on break. Apparently he was missing his ohana and had to go spend time with them.



 

At mile 7, we were leaving ESPN and we were back out on the open road. I was starting to struggle at that point. My foot was hurting. The air was ridiculously thick, which made it hard to breathe. But then we were in the final stretch as we arrived back at Hollywood Studios!

 

As we ran past Mickey's Hat and saw the Tower of Terror in the distance I was fried. Who knew this would be so tough. Not the distance necessarily, but the humidity and the running at night...for those who know me, you know I'm NOT a night owl. Stacie kept me going.

 

Finally, we finished...and did the obligatory photo outside the Tower of Terror ride...

 

 

...before we each proceeded to get sick. I won't go into the gory details, but it wasn't pretty. Luckily, we each felt better after the fact and did a few more poses...

...including one with the Evil Queen from Snow White (we missed Malificent by a hot second...I was so mad!)

Then it was time to go home. Not bad for our first Disney race. Looking forward to doing another, hopefully soon!

PS...those medals...GLOW IN THE DARK and the elevator can move up and down! Disney swag is the BEST!

Disney World or BUST

Welcome to the Happiest Place on Earth...DISNEY WORLD!

Before I left Hartford, Stacie and I had decided to embark on a 'magical' journey to Walt Disney World in order to run in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler...which we will get to in the next post.

First...the theme parks!!

When we arrived in Disney, our first stop was to Downtown Disney. Our flights landed in the early afternoon and we were waiting for Stacie's mom as well, so by the time we were all assembled and checked in and everything, it was late afternoon/early evening.

The last time I was at Disney, I was about 12 or 13 years old and I came with my mom on one of her business trips. We didn't stay in one of the resort hotels (since moms business trip was in Orlando, but not Disney) but we had when I was younger. But since I had been barely a teenager the last time I was there, I had never been to Downtown Disney.

It was fun. The drinks were tasty (hehe) as I had two delicious margaritas (habanero and jalapeno) throughout the evening. We wandered around, got a late lunch, got stuck in a thunderstorm which kept us in a store for a bit, and then got a late dinner.

The next day was time for the Magic Kingdom. Can I just say, I love the Magic Kingdom? I do. There's just something about walking down Main Street USA and seeing Cinderella's Castle right in front of you. It takes you back to your childhood and I could remember visits I had made when I was little.

 

Stacie and I enjoyed a number of photo opportunities. 

 

We hit all of the important rides: Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, It's A Small World, The Haunted Mansion, Stitch's Great Escape and so on.

 

By the way, did you know I can read alien?

 

 

Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves, even though it was HOT. I did wish that we had one more day at that park. I would have liked to have gone on a few more rides and had a few more experiences, but it's fine.

 

The next day was for Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM Studios). I had never been here before so I was intrigued by the opportunity. We got a later start than initially anticipated, but we were still able to do everything we wanted: Star Tours, Rockin' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror and the show I'd been hoping to see: Fantasmic. Too bad none of my pictures turned out well.

 



 

 

The day after the race, we made it to Epcot. It was the start of the Food and Wine Festival, so we ate and drank to our hearts content. Since it was our first Disney race, we didn't realize that it's cool to wear your medal the day after, so sadly, we didn't do it.

 

But we got to meet some of our favorite characters...



 

Belle from Beauty and the Beast (my favorite)

And Aladdin and Jasmin from, you guessed it, The Return of Jafar! Lol...ok, Aladdin is the correct answer, though they were in RoJ too!

We were hit by another torrential thunderstorm again and got soaked. We then headed back to the hotel to pack and get ready to say goodbye the next morning.

After eating at the airport, I said goodbye to Stacie, who headed back to Hartford and I headed back to Dallas. I will see her in a few weeks when I head back to Hartford to run in my very first marathon, and she, her first half marathon!

Till then...

Don't forget to check out my next post about The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler!

Color Me Bad? No! Color Me Rad!

This past weekend marked the first race for me since my half marathon back in June, as well as my first race here in Dallas since moving back: the Color Me Rad 5K.

The race took place in Fort Worth, so Stephanie and I made a day of it. Our race time was 1:00PM, so we didn't have to get up super early. We met up at my apartment and headed out to the location.

It's still hot in Texas in September, so I was grateful we started in white shirts. It kept us a bit cooler until we started running. At that point, it didn't matter.

This would also be my first color run. I had wanted to participate in one back in Hartford, but it was during the last week of half marathon training, so I couldn't make the race. I was very excited to try it out. I had seen pictures from other races, but didn't quite know what I would be getting myself into.

Needless to say, it was FUN! Every kilometer or so we would get doused with another color. By the end, I was a human tie-dye shirt. Poor Stephanie got hit in the face with a massive amount of purple color right at the end. She was coughing and sneezing purple. We got back to the car and luckily we brought towels and she blew her nose in it. PURPLE was all that came out!

 

After the race, we headed out to get lunch. We were definitely a sight to be seen at the restaurant. The only good thing was that it was past the lunch rush, so very few people were witness to our madness. Our waiter even made a 'comment' about how I had something on my face. How original.

 

Once I got home, I realized it was probably best to hop in the shower to get all of the color off. It was hilarious to see that it made it through my shoes and socks!! I had colorful little piggies!

 Well, the first color run of my career was a success. Next up: DISNEY!!

Upcoming Races

I've been a busy girl...signing up for races left and right. I'm sure I'll regret it later, but here's a list of the upcoming races for this Fall and Winter:


Saturday, September 8 - Color Me Rad 5K - Fort Worth, TX

Saturday, September 29 - The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler - Walt Disney World, FL

Saturday, October 13 - ING Hartford Marathon - Hartford, CT

Saturday, November 10 - Mighty Mud Dash - Grand Prairie, TX

Sunday, December 9 - MetroPCS Dallas Marathon - Dallas, TX


It's kind of crazy seeing that list. I know that I've spaced them out pretty well...but it's still alot to take on.

Stay tuned to see how I do...you read more about them on my running blog.

Zoo Time

Thanks to my friend, Andy, I have a membership to the Dallas Zoo. He gave me the membership as a going away present. And because of this membership, I get membership perks...like after-hours events.

 

It was such an event that I took my 'goddaughter' her mom to a couple weeks ago. It was hot, and Jordan loved the misters that were set up all over the African section (only that section of the zoo was open for this event). I felt like I was back in cheerleading, because I was doing alot of Liberty lifts with the little one so she could get right up to the misters.

 

She got to see the penguins...who were swimming away because of the heat.



 

 

 

The picture below reminded me of the last time we went to the zoo with Jordan. Her first zoo visit in fact. Here's the post. 

Look how much she's grown in those two years!

Anyway, we fed a giraffe, which was awesome! He was right in our face and took lettuce from us. So awesome. Look how close we were to him!

After dinner, an experience with two lions (behind netting and glass), rides on the carousel and shopping in the zoo gift shop, we were sweaty and tired.

But even so, I'm excited to go back!

THANKS ANDY!

Change

I know, I know...it's been over two months since I last posted. But I've been busy.


In mid June I accepted a new job. This new position took me away from the city and job I had been in for 4 years. It was a huge switch for me, leaving the home that I had built, the friends I had made, the people who had become family.

It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. So many things were changing in my life and with my family and I needed to do this for me. I still think about that decision today actually. I still get upset knowing what I left behind and while I'm happy that I am at my new job, it's hard being the 'newbie' and having to start over...again.

I feel like I've moved so much in my life already and to do it again, hurt actually. I was going home, I would going to be closer to my parents, which was important for me, but to physically uproot myself, even for a place that I was familiar with, was difficult.

People were upset with my decision. Some mad, even if for only a little while, they were still mad. Some sad, because me leaving hurt them. Some happy, for me and for my chance to go home. I was feeling the same emotions too, for similar reasons and different, all at the same time.


Anyway...change was hard. But change was needed. I've been back in Dallas for 5 weeks now and I am getting back into a routine. I've been able to reconnect with old friends, though not much. I live in a cool area of the city, though I haven't experienced much of it. It's kind of work and dog, dog and work. Now there is a kitten in the equation, though he is going to another home soon.

I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss a job I used to have and a city I used to live in. I miss the routine I once had and the comfortable feeling of knowing what I was doing when I was doing it.


Starting over is difficult. But sometimes, starting over is necessary.


I don't really want to do it again though.

My First Half Marathon

That's right! I DID IT! Not as fast as I would have liked, but I finished nonetheless! :-)

Check out the post about the race here on my running blog!

Happy Reading!!

Dave Matthews Band

A week ago at Opening, Traci and I talked about going to the upcoming Dave Matthews Band concert. On Friday, I got the call from her saying Saturday was the day.

So yesterday, she, a friend of hers and myself headed out with the masses of drunk and high people to see Dave Matthews LIVE.

It started with an early dinner and then an adventure to get the tickets (we had to pick them up elsewhere) and parking, followed by a little tailgating before heading into the amphitheater for the show.

Once we got into the 'park' (we had to go through gates, show our tickets, etc...that I likened it to going to Six Flags) we we in search of drinks! We found neon green frozen margaritas not found in nature.

Come on...really? They are the color of slime! They were really tart too and mix-y (you know, like from a mix) so they didn't taste super fresh, but they were potent. And the guitar glasses were pretty cool!

Then we headed into the 'shell' for the concert. It was packed to the gills and the lawn was virtually overflowing. We were smelling smoke and pot and alcohol. We weren't the oldest bunch there, but we weren't the youngest...gotta love college kids. PS...I never did this when I was in college...

Anyway, the concert was good. I don't know a lot of songs that Dave Matthews does...and this was night number two of him performing, so he didn't perform the same songs both nights (way to get more money) so I may have known a few more, but that was neither here nor there. The music was good, the musicians were great and the atmosphere was CRAZY.

After the concert was over, we had the adventure of getting out of the parking lot and out of the city. Lord...people are crazy. I finally got home a little after 12:30am after leaving my apartment at 3:30pm that afternoon. I was exhausted. Technically, I still am...so maybe a nap is in order before the Memorial Day BBQ festivities today!

PS...I don't think I need to go back to the Comcast Theatre. It was hot and packed. Give me AC and an arena any day...I'll keep the XL Center and Mohegan. :-)

Saying Goodbye :-(

Well, Friday was Sara and Anna's last day at work. I had worked with Sara since I started 4 years ago and of course, Anna had been with me since Labor Day for her year-long apprenticeship.

I decided I would make them each cupcakes and I kind of gave them a say as to what kinds. Well, I gave Anna a say. She chose my Irish Carbomb cupcakes. You can check out that post here.

I decided for Sara that I would make her some Mickey Mouse Cupcakes. I had made her Mickey & Minnie Mouse Cookies for her birthday (here's that post) so I thought the cupcakes would be cute. Luckily she agreed. :-)



I was up to my elbows in different batters. I ended up making two dozen of EACH cupcake, so having to frost 48 cupcakes wasn't really a thrilling thought at 10pm at night (really midnight when it was all said and done).

Sara's Mickey cupcakes were easier to make, but time consuming to decorate. I made a chocolate cupcake with a simple whipped vanilla frosting that I tinted. Then I added yellow frosting buttons and mini-Oreos for ears.

Anna's was the chocolate-Guinness cupcake, with a chocolate-Jameson ganache and a Bailey's buttercream frosting. I used more Bailey's than powdered sugar in the frosting, so it was thinner than the last time I made it. It still tasted good.

I was happy how they came out and while I wanted happy that they were leaving, I was happy I could do this for them.

I'll miss you both!!!!!

Ten Penny Ale 5K

Ah...Ten Penny Ale time!

Today was the Shamrock Duathlon & 5K out in Glastonbury. Something that was just a fun run for Bryan and I, but something Arielle was training for.

A couple months ago, during my kick of getting people at work to sign up for training programs, I managed to convince Arielle to join this particular 5k training group. Bryan and I were already in our half marathon training program, and this group would meet at the same time. It was something I know she wanted to do, but I was hoping she would actually do it.

And guess what...she did.

So...Bryan and I decided that we would sign up for the 5k and run with her (see that post here). And run with her we did. We never left her, kept saying motivating things and giving her tips to get her through a little easier.

She was a trooper...even when Bryan physically pushed her forward at one point during the race (ok, it was just a nudge...but it was funny). We got her water when she needed it, let her take walk breaks when she needed and tried to keep her smiling.

I even recruited a cheering squad for her, consisting of her fiancee Andrea, Robyn, Stacie, Andy and Traci. Sure, they were there to see us too...but they were mainly there for Arielle.

She finished in 43:38 and I couldn't be prouder!

We celebrated with a Ten Penny Ale at the finish line and then the group of us went to breakfast...which was delicious by the way! I think one of the greatest things was that we did it as a team. It was one of my favorite experiences so far!

The half marathon is two weeks from today...this was my first run in 2 weeks because of my injury and I feel pretty good honestly. The foot is doing well...so I can only hope that, as long as I'm careful, I'll be ok for that big run. Keep those fingers crossed. :-)

See this post on my running blog.

Margarita Cupcakes

Hey Cinco De Mayo!

I decided that I would make some margarita cupcakes for the Friday before Cinco de Mayo (ie TODAY). I had browsed Pinterest for some ideas and low and behold, I found one.

I basically took the recipe from here: Annie's Eats  and then tweaked it slightly.


I would add tequila and orange liquor into the batter as well as brushing some on there after baking. I think its up to your taste, but I feel the full quarter cup combined (half and half) is a good amount both in the batter and on top.
The frosting was pretty buttery, but the lime was a really a good addition. I feel that it helped cut the richness of the butter. I would add more tequila to it it next time...so again, your call.
Hope you like it. I have more coming. Yum!



DIY Lamps

Well, this was a project a while in the making. We have, like, a ba-zillion clear lamps that were dingy, not good looking at all and really dragged down the apartments they were in at work.

So, after browsing some home improvement stores, Pinterest and watching probably a bit too much HGTV, I decided we could DIY paint them and help spruce them up a bit.

So, we loaded them all up and headed down to the paint shop for a little paint shop party...

The end result was actually, fantastic. I'm super pleased with how they came out and now that they are in their respective apartments, they are starting to help the rooms come together!

I will say...we did leave quite a mess. BUT it was a beautiful and colorful mess...

I can live with that. :-)

O'Hartford 5K

Max's O'Hartford 5K was the end of my 5K training group this season. It was something I was building up for...and not all at the same time.

I didn't put everything I had into training for this race. There ended up being so much happening in my life at the time, both good and bad, that I didn't really do what I wanted and needed to do to make this race amazing.

But, that being said, you better believe I was happy that I did it. I was happy that Stacie trained with me and proud of her for finishing. She ended up finishing only about 10 seconds behind me. Not bad!

I also know that if it weren't for our coaches (Liz and Allison) that we both wouldn't have done as well as we did. Allison ran with me (picture below) and Liz with Stacie. I can't thank them enough for their support.

I've got the Amica Ironhorse Half Marathon that I'm training for next and I'm pumped! If you would like to check on my progress during my training, check out my running blog, 365 Days To Become A Marathon Runner. There is also another post about this particular race here.

I'll post that race here as well, but I'm sure there will be trials and tribulations, successes and failures in the next 3 months! Keep your fingers crossed for me!