MauldenNews Feb/March 2011

Hello everyone!

 

Hope things are well with you. I am feeling GREAT today! I got up early to go running in the morning before work, which I haven't done in a while. I generally prefer running in the daylight. But this morning was SO beautiful - 50 degrees, birds singing, dawn breaking over snow-capped mountains - it couldn't have been better. All day I have felt so happy. I've just passed my first anniversary on this run-walk-run program. I feel great, I'm five pounds lighter and those annoying little saddlebags on my thighs are maybe a little smaller.  I'm looking forward to my third half-marathon (in Ogden canyon, coming up in May). And I MAY have bitten off more than I can chew, but I just registered for my first MARATHON. Eeek!

 I just attended my first Running School with Jeff Galloway, whose method inspired me to start running and still continues to inspire me. I never knew running could actually make me feel this good. Even though I've read his books I still took home a good amount of new info and tips from the seminar. Here is a picture of me with Jeff. I never had a sports hero growing up, but now in my 5th decade of life, I finally have one. He's been running for 52 years. He is inspiring, a great coach/teacher/writer, and even nicer in person than online. :-)  I also found out he is a leftie, so of course that only makes me like him more.

 

Bryan and the kids are doing well. I signed us all up for a "multi-sport skills" class in which we go to a gym and play various forms of ball and run around. Alex is doing well and enjoying it, but Sam, our formerly agreeable, sociable, easygoing Sam, (who loves all ball sports) has chosen this time in his life to show that he is HIS OWN person and does NOT have to listen to the teachers or his parents. Grrrr. We wonder what we're doing wrong when our child is the worst behaved in the class. However, we have also enrolled both kids in swimming lessons and he has been VERY attentive to the swim teacher. Nothing like the imminent threat of drowning to focus your attention. I'm glad he's at least listening to somebody.

 

Alex has recently learned a new skill: climbing to the top of every door frame in the house. No one showed her this - she just did it, all on her own. I told her my sister Rosie used to do that and she is so proud to be just like Rosie. :-) She was born in the year of the monkey (as was Bryan) so it fits her. 

It is fun to have such a free spirit in the house. One day she asked if she could paint with her watercolors. I set her up with the brush, paper and paints and came back to find this:

I guess since I won't let her play with my makeup, she found another way. The finished product:

Other news bits from this month:

 - One day while transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer, I discovered that my pager had gone through an entire cold gentle cycle. Oops. The subconscious mind does try to get rid of the pager occasionally. Alex thought I would get in big trouble with the boss at work, but I didn't. I took the battery out and let it dry for a couple days, and it still works! 

 - Books I read this month:

The Hole in Our Gospel by Rich Stearns, president of World Vision. His story was interesting and it was a great book to reset my perspective and priorities. 

Twelve Steps to a More Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong. This was a good read, too - interesting history of various religious thinkers, perspectives on Islam, and thought-provoking (simple but not easy) ways to practice  compassion, including being compassionate with one's self.

Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson - great true story of one man's quest to build schools and promote girls' and women's education in Afghanistan. 

Well, that's about it - see you next month.