Konza Prairie Hike

Ever since I went to a teacher class on the Konza last year, I have been itching to take Mike and Wyatt out there to hike. Well, almost one year later, that itch has finally been scratched!

Today was a gorgeous day! The high was 72-degrees and it was overcast with a slight wind. This would be perfect hiking weather for the family.

After a trip to the library we all got ready and headed to the Konza. We decided to hike the nature trail since it was the shortest distance, 2.6 miles. I was worried about how Wyatt would do but thought this would be a great energy waster and he would be so tired and fall asleep on the way home. Mental score!

Smiling for the camera! This was at the beginning of the trail.

We followed that path all the way to the top of that hill!

Sometimes you have to stop to smell the flowers! He said they smelled like lemons!

Wyatt and Momma!

Daddy and Wyatt!

Notice there weren't many pictures after the first half of the hike. Shortly after we made it half-way our energetic boy turned into the whiny monster and whined the entire rest of the way. We sang songs and tried to keep his mind off the fact we still had a ways to go. That worked for a little while but the crying and fit throwing started in the last leg. Luckily we made it to the bridges and Wyatt forgot how tired he was so he could walk across them.

Hopefully this will be the first of many family hikes for us on the Konza!

Rain Run=Fail

Well I had to go for a run since it had been two days since my last one. It was sleeting out and I didn't want to but I needed to.

So I bundled up and headed out to City Park to get my run on! I was about half a mile in when the rain started coming down harder and the wind was blowing it in my face. And trust me it's not a good look for me to run into the rain. It hurts your eyes! Ow!

After a measly 1.3 miles I called it quits and headed back to school. Here's to a drier day tomorrow!

All bundled up!

Good pace! You can see the rain drops on my watch.

Proof that I did run in the rain! Wet legs!

Final training session

Today was my final training session before my 5K and I'm feeling pretty good! I ran the same route from Monday and it was a good run. I felt good about it. The weather was in the 40's and it was perfect for a run! It's crazy how I've gotten so in tune with the temperature and how that can affect my run.

I think my ideal running temperature is 40's to low 50's. We shall see how my body does as the Spring continues and starts warming up. Especially since I will be running in the heat of the day at 4pm after work.

I'm getting nervous for my 5K on Saturday and how it's going to be. I just don't know what to expect or how the event will go. Some of my biggest fears are: getting nervous diarrhea before the race, not drinking enough water and being dehydrated, getting lost while running, and not finishing the race.

I know they seem pretty irrational and none of them will probably happen but they are my fears none the less! I guess only time will tell and once race day gets here I will know what really happens!

Wish me luck!

Busy Evening

As of 1:30pm today I'm officially on Spring Break! Yeah!!! Oh but now I have a giant list of things I need to do and planning that must happen. Boo! But at least I don't have to get up at 6. Yeah, again!

I started off my spring break by going and running. Mike is putting up fence around our land on Saturday (the day I scheduled to run) so decided to take advantage of my foot feeling good and just go one day between runs. I headed over to City Park and just ran. I was pretty pleased with the results other than I wish I would have went farther. I ran every part of the 24 minutes except for 2 minutes of it. I will take it! I even went farther than I did on Wednesday running before walking. Go me!

Love this watch!

Sporting another new Urban Halo!

This run was pretty new for me because I've been training outside all winter and this was the hottest day I have ever ran! To say that I was feeling it, is an understatement. I did make sure to try to dress appropriately and had on capris and just a t-shirt. I felt almost naked running.

The best part of my run was at the end when I saw a parent of 2 of my former students. We stopped and chatted for a couple of minutes. He told me that they just didn't know what they were going to do when their daughter went to middle school next year and couldn't see me everyday. I hadn't even been thinking about that! How am I going to get through the day without seeing her at least twice and checking in on her to make sure she's working hard for her teachers and not goofing off? This was a big realization for me. I always knew she would go to middle school but just kept thinking that that day was a long ways off and now it's just around the corner. Ahhh!!!

Once I got home and got Wyatt from daycare we headed to Subway and got dinner for another picnic. The weather is absolutely gorgeous and we had to take advantage of it.

Then Mike got home and we headed to Manhattan to Tractor Supply and Orschelen's to pick up a gate and the hardware he needed to get it attached to the fence post. Of course the best part of any farm supply store during March/April is Chick Days! We love going and looking at the baby chicks, ducks, and bunnies. Wyatt even convinced a lady at Orschelen's that she should get out a bunny for him to pet and she did!

Wyatt said he needed every animal we saw and that they could live with Elephant his hamster or in his wagon!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Today was a gorgeous day and I wanted to make sure that I dressed for the beautiful 70-degree weather. I decided to try on a pair of slacks I had worn in the Fall that were too tight but thought I would just push through the tightness and it will be fine.

I was shocked to slip them right on and my muffin top wasn't hanging over! Say what?! This was a complete shock and a happy one at that. This is definitely a NSV (non-scale victory) for the books.

Room in the waist!

I always dress in layers for school.

Then this cutie wanted in the picture as well!

After school I headed home to get Wyatt because we had decided this morning that we would have a picnic dinner since it would be so nice outside today. He had a grilled cheese and I made a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a salad. It was a beautiful evening and we spent almost 2 hours outside just hanging out and enjoying the sunshine.

Dinner Date!

Putting the finishing touches on his airplane!

Windy much!

Well the upside is that I completed Day 2 of Week 7. It wasn't the best run I've ever done and I spent quite a few minutes running in short bursts and then walking in short bursts but it's done. The End!

I ran around the Sports Complex which is a big circle-ish track that is technically only 0.9 mile. The wind was ridiculous today! I got on weather.com when I got home to see how windy it was and it was blowing 12 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. I believe ever bit of it because at one point I was running against the wind and I felt like I wasn't moving at all. I'm sure to cars that were passing it looked like I wasn't moving!

This is me thinking why in the hell am I doing this!

Also, today was the coldest day of the weekend. I always regretting waiting an extra day to run and this one just cements the deal. I should have ran last night when the rain had stopped but it was still a good 20-degrees warmer.

I always feel like I run like shit at the Sports Complex as compared to City Park because there isn't any way to visually mark your quarter miles like at City Park. I always end up walking more than I should and feeling like poo because I'm walking and then the whole guilt cycle starts in again. Somehow I always manage to pull decent pace times when running here. Not sure how or why!

 

 

P.S. I have my podiatry appointment on Tuesday so look for that update! We shall see how the whole foot issue goes. I haven't been having as much pain but I've also been taking 2-3 days between runs and drinking a recovery drink with aloe after each of my runs. More info on that coming in another post! But apparently there is still a problem because both my hubby and my mom have said that I'm walking funny.

I'm back!

Notice the joy on my face?!

Today I ran again and it felt awesome! It was only two days since my last pathetic attempt at running and this time it went much better.

I didn't have to stop at all during the two 10-minute intervals and ran the WHOLE time! Go me!! My stamina is starting to come back and I'm feeling good. I'm loving my new shoes and I think they have made a big difference in the issues of my foot and just the recovery time after running.

Looking forward to my next run, already!

While I was running it was snowing and I was covered in snowflakes! What fun! :)

I'll take that!

Snowman Pictures

We've had quite the snow the last couple of weeks! I will be so happy to see it melt and never come back! ;)

Mike and I were heading to Manhattan and we passed this scene down the street we live on and had to go back and take a picture! Too funny!

Busy Weekend!

This weekend was beyond busy. We had so many things going on and too little time. The weekend started out with my mom coming to town to stay the night to watch Wyatt for us on Saturday. I was fully intending on running that night but of course this idiot forgets to bring her running clothes and shoes with me to school. Running Fail! So we went out to eat that night to make up for it. Diet Fail, even though I did stay under my calories even with eating out!

Saturday was eventful to say the least. My day started at 5:45am! No one should be up that early on a weekend! I had my grad class in KC today and needed to be out of the house by 6:45 to make it there in time.

My classes were awesome and I'm so excited about my professors this semester. I'm going to learn a lot this semester and be worked as well.

After class I headed the two hours home and made it to Paxico just in time to help with clean up from butchering hogs. We process 12-15 hogs every year and we do everything from get the pigs (alive) to wrapping the meat in paper. It's not for everyone but I love knowing where my pork is coming from and who processed it. We made three different kinds of sausage and links. We also get as many ribs, pork chops, and roasts as possible.

The busy day meant no running and that would be day 4 between runs! Ahhh!!!

Sunday was another busy morning but I didn't let it deter me and I got my run on this afternoon. Week 4 is definitely a bully and I was ready for it. The thing I wasn't ready for was the warm weather. I've gotten pretty used to running in cold weather and the unseasonal warm weather threw me off my game.

Finally!

This thing is a total liar! I swear I ran more than that! I ran around that damn park almost half a dozen times!

Heading home after my lousy run!

First Snow of the Year

Not too long ago I was posting about our first snow of 2012 and then just eleven short days later we have our first snow of the  NEW year. This snow was much more enjoyable, with very little wind. Wyatt and I stayed out for almost an hour playing and making snow trees with the bucket. Then Wyatt would chop them down with his shovel. There were plenty of snow angels made and much less of a fight to put on the snow suit to go outside to play. Let's see if the snow trend continues!

An icicle as big as he is!

Shoveling snow to make snow trees.

He filled this bucket five times!

First Snow of the Year

Today we had our first snow of the year, and in the nick of time! We, thankfully, had a snow day and Wyatt and I got to spend it playing in the snow!

My favorite picture!

Beautiful Weekend and Weather!

This weekend was beautiful and we took full advantage of it! We spent a majority of time outdoors and loved every minute of it. Here are some pictures to document our beautiful weather and time outside!

Let me touch you with my yucky bubble hands!

Wyatt got his own hammer and I hammered some nails into the board for him to hit.

Measuring with his tape measure. He likes to watch Mike work on things!

On Sunday it was a bit cooler but not enough to keep us indoors. We got out his dirt bike and he actually enjoyed riding it around the yard. He did a great job turning it and actually facing forward while driving. Trust me when I say these are huge leaps in where we were last Summer. Once he got the swing of the backyard we decided to venture out of the backyard and started going around the block. He had a blast and I even got some pictures of his on his dirt bike. Be ready for more pictures to come because it looks like we will be riding quite a bit.