It's the End of the World as We Know It...

Thank you thank you... As if you didn't see that blog title coming.
Moving on... 2012 is upon us and Jarrod and ushered it in with some great Mexican food and a party in the city park.  While it turned out to be more family fun, the last 15mins were really awesome and 2012 arrived with great music and fireworks!

 

 

 

Clearly we had to include the pups in on the fun...

2012 is looking to be a pretty awesome year.  Jarrod assures me we will see 2013 and seeing as he's been right from time to time (it's taken a lot for me to admit that clearly) I guess I have to believe him.  If he turns out to be wrong, then at least it sounds like we're gonna have a pretty great last year on earth!
Hopefully this spring will be the last we ever spend in an apartment.  Jarrod and I plan to start looking for a house sometime in April and if all goes well we'll have the summer to move, paint and enjoy our first home.  It's both scary and exciting to think about buying a house.  It's so... well, permanent.  Can't go where the wind blows you (that did not work out well for that witch in Wizard of Oz, clearly).  At some point I guess it was bound to happen, putting down roots and all and I think Houston is going to allow us to be pretty successful at doing so.  Don't worry, I'll blog about the search and what not as much as possible... Or you know, you could just come see it after we move in :)
This year will hopefully bring a better work schedule for Jarrod too.  Crazy to think that ever since we said I Do we've either lived apart or he's had shift schedules.  If he get's a regular schedule at some point we'll be a couple of regular old Jones's... and I don't think I'll mind that a bit.
Hopefully this year my sisters will get to travel to Texas for the first time and just in time before they both are in college.  UGH They make me feel sooooo old! I tell you what though, as they have grown up I can't tell you how awesome they have become.  Each year they become more and more awesome and it's so great to spend time with them.  It's nice to hit that age when our age differences don't really matter and we can all have fun and hang out together.  Of course I'm not looking forward to going out with them and having to show my ID when they'll just slide on through.  Let's not pretend that's not going to happen....

Of course 2012 (being the possible end and all) will bring about a lot of other exciting times as well.  I can only imagine what owning a house will have in store for us or what crazy times we'll have with friends here... and only someone somewhere knows what my job will have in store for me!  If the world is going to end, at least I'll be in my own house with my husband and my pups and know that at this point Im pretty content with how things have turned out.  You know if the Mayans end up being wrong though... that'd be cool too.

Let's Back Up A Bit... Christmas 2011

Please allow me to back up a bit and write a few posts about past events.  While I don't blog as often as I had always hoped I do think it important for future me to be able to look back.

Christmas 2011: Hampton NH

While last year's Christmas in Texas was fun, there is nothing like being home with family for the holidays.  We were very lucky to have the time to drive home (yes drive) with the two pups and still have enough time off to spend a whole week in New Hampshire.  We spent the first part of the week in Maine having our family photos taken, visiting with great friends and adding to my every growing collection of body artwork.  We were very lucky to have a friend who was very flexible in her photography career to make a photo session work for not only our wallets but the short time we had up north.

Here is a look at just a few she took, and dare I say we have some pretty good looking fur kids :)

And once again I was able to visit my favorite tattoo artist Matt in Portland.  This time it was to add to my left arm where there is already 603.  My left arm is quickly becoming the story of my life and so with last year marking the 10th anniversary of September 11th, I felt it only fitting to add that to the story.  Above that is the phrase La Mia Famiglia.  With losing post paternal grandparents in the past year and a half and adjusting to being so far from my own immediate family I wanted a permanent reminder of where I have come from.  I have plans to honor both grandparents in a separate piece and I am working with my sisters to come up with something we can all get together.  Here is my latest and certainly one of the greatest: 

And as if all of that wasn't enough... it was the holidays!!! It was so awesome to see my family and spend time with everyone.  The dogs couldn't believe that houses existed with multiple floors... Smokey (my parent's dog) couldn't believe that his parents could like any other dogs.  This photo would prove otherwise, sorry Smokey:

As one can imagine there was lots of holiday fun to be had. Cookies, J-Dawgs birthday party, Christmas Eve Chinese food and of course... Christmas.  I think you'll get the gist of how great our time north was with the following photos:

Time with family was the best gift... All corniness intended...

Until June when we celebrate Mariana's graduation (What the ??!!!) Thanks Family :)

And I Ran...I Ran So Far Awaaaaay.....

Come on, I know you know that song... Flock of Seagulls anyone?? Anywho that's what comes to mind when I think about what I've been up to this last month and a half.  Since my last post I have been training a lot for my 1/2 marathon.  I did the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and happily finished with a time that will allow my to register for Houston's 1/2 marathon early next year.  I ran with friends of ours Crystal and Ed and it was so great to have people there for support and well wishes when Jarrod can't be (he had to work and sleep).  Unfortunately I don't have a post race photo since Jarrod wasn't there, but trust me it was fun :)

Then came my 1/2 marathon.  As I mentioned in previous posts Jarrod and I wanted to run a 1/2 together, but he got into the Houston 1/2 and I did not.  At first I was really bummed, however after running mine this past Sunday I must say I am SO glad we ran separate 1/2s for our first time.  It was so awesome to have Jarrod along the race course cheering me on, handing me water, taking my gloves, and taking pictures.  I felt so supported and encouraged that I know it is a major reason I did so well.

It was cold and cloudy for most of the race with the sun not coming out until about mile 12.  It was quite perfect actually.  Perfect temp, no sun in my eyes and it was if the sun guided me into the finish at the exact moment I needed it.  The 1/2 marathon was for women only.  It was such a positive and fun experience! Lots of hot pink and fun outfits that gave a less serious tone to things.  My goal was to run 9 minute miles.  I ended up running 151.26 minutes for the 13 miles which is about 8.5 minute miles so I was super happy.  There were about 150 women in my age group, about 900 overall and I was 11th in my age group and 58th overall.  Not bad at all...

The only negative of the whole event was the anti-climactic feeling when it was all over.  Here I had been training for this one day since August and it was over in 2 hours.  Perhaps this is why many people become addicted to road races like they do tattoos... You desire the next and the next and the next because it's something to work towards, to push yourself to.  I am already thinking about marathons... and more halfs, and more 10Ks and 5Ks.  I know some of you are thinking "ewww she likes to run for fun" but man it feels good!

For now it's on to Jarrod's 1/2.  We'll see who did better... I mean I am sure he'll do great! ;)

I'll end with a few pics from the race and it's off to grade.  It's midterms week and lots of holiday celebrations week.  So excited to celebrate and then make the long trek home!!!  Happy Holidays one and all!!!!

   

Fall Sure Does Happen Quickly Around Here

One day it's 85* and sunny... the next it's 65* and cloudy!  Fall has certainly hit Texas this weekend with brisk air, lots of wind, and the winding down of football season.  We're not sure how long the weather is going to stay like this, but while it's here we are enjoying it feel a little more like it should this time of year.  Reading the posts by our Northern friends we feel very happy to only need long sleeves rather than snow parkas... And we're super glad that it's such good running weather.  Jarrod and I are both training for 1/2 marathons and this cooler weather definitely helps out.  Jarrod (lucky duck) got into the Houston 1/2 in January and I will be running an all woman's race in December.

Today we kicked off the start of our fall race season with a 5K supporting the Texas Heart Institute.  It was right by our house so we didn't need to worry about parking and they highly recommended costumes... score!  My goal this race was to beat Jarrod.  After all, I have been running more than he has and I figured a couple who races each other, loves each other... or something like that.  Alas he beat me by 30 seconds, which is pretty good for me seeing as I shaved off about 3 mins from my last race time.  30 seconds... must have been all of those slow people in their bulky costumes who kept cutting me off at the beginning.  Now I'm sure anyone reading this is wondering if we wore costumes... The answer is, kinda.  We were definitely not as good as the One Thing/Two Thing ladies or the tutus galore, but we held our own in terms of Halloween spirit.  Here ya go:

 Jarrod in his skeleton t-shirt... it's the thought that counts here.

















I was a pumpkin as you can see

                                                        Lots of people had my    
                                                        tights...


















A few other fall events to note... Athena is getting much bigger and it seems as if every morning when we open her crate she has grown more!  Mostly around the mid section, but she definitely has gotten taller too which is a good sign in terms of being more on par with Portland.  The only thing that doesn't seem as if it's grown is her head.  We're hoping this catches up soon otherwise we're going to have a very funny looking dog on our hands!  Here's a picture from when we first got her and one from today so you can hopefully see the difference:

Clearly the ears have gotten bigger!

And last but not least, with cold weather comes the end of Cross Country season at school.  This season has really been great and it has been so nice not having to rush off to another sport.  Our girls did very well in every race they ran and at our district wide meet we won 1st place in all three divisions! Granted the competition is sadly nothing to write home about, but they were well deserved wins none the less for all the hard work they put in.  Here's 1 shot (since posting pictures of kids is not really my thing) of my wonderful team! :

I am already looking forward to next season when many of these girls will be seniors!  Crazy to think I will have been with them then for 3 years :)

Happy Fall Everyone!!! Sorry it's a winter wonderland for you Northern folk, but just think, that mean's Christmas is just around the corner!  Jarrod and I will be driving home with the pups for Christmas! But before that we're getting ready for my Turkey Trot 10K, Thanksgiving with the Manzer Parents and my 1/2 Marathon!! 

Now Introducing Athena...Puppy Goddess!

After much hemming and hawing over whether a 2nd dog would fit into our life style, Jarrod and I decided that yes! A 2nd pup was something we could handle, and something we wanted.  We returned to the pound where we got Portland and found a very tiny, very cute, very energetic girl puppy.  Her name at the pound was Edna...(nothing against the name Edna, but you know, not for us).  We chose Athena because we're fans of Greek mythology and she's already seems fairly powerful.  Portland is not sure yet what to make of her, and she is definitely pushing the personal bubble boundaries so hopefully in time it will become a more loving relationship.  As much of one a brother and sister can have.  Like Portland, she is too cute for words.... So I'll just let the photos do the talking :

Attempting my first escape...

Being like Big Brother

I want to play in the big dog park!

Well fine... I'll just eat my leash

I'm pretty tough! Watch Out!!!

Hahaha Im just playing :)

Sprucing the Place Up a Bit...

Today Jarrod and I spruced up our bedroom a bit with some color and photos. Very crafty, of both of us :)

These use to be those wooden mirrors you get from Ikea.

We popped the mirrors out and covered them in handmade paper.

They don't seem to match. Trust me, if you remember our new

bed cover, they do.

Then we added photos to them. Some of my sisters and I.

Some of Jarrod and I.

Then we worked them around our map to create one

large collage space.

Home Again...

Since returning to Houston we've been quite busy...

We've been following rainbows.

We've gone on long car rides to conferences.

We've enjoyed "hand made" cotton candy while seeing

the last Harry Potter movie.

We've witnessed trickery in the local fountains...

Bath anyone?

We've worked hard to keep the sun out of our eyes.

School's right around the corner. Hard to believe that the summer is over and it's back to the daily grind of working, teaching, coaching and trying to live a little :)