Blogging in Safe Mode

I'm blogging in safe mode right now, as I try to download all my photos to Google + in a vain attempt to save them.  Luckily, I've downloaded most of them already (the best ones really) to Facebook.  For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you know I'm a photo posting fool. 

It feels SO good to be writing, even if it is only blogging at this point.  Our computer is on the fritz, and we have to restore to factory settings.  Hubby and I are trying to dump the data into anything we can get our hands on so we can save our precious pictures and videos of the kids.  I'm uncertain about the music.  It's on my phone, and I have the cloud.  Does that save it? 

This week has been good, but hectic as I'm trying to get back into the routine of three kids, a husband, work and life after a week of vacation.  Am I the only one who always feels a little bit down after vacation?  There's like a huge let down after coming back, a feeling of, "oh yeah, this is reality, not the life I was living last week." Although, I'm glad that my reality doesn't include six children and living in an one room apartment with two kids and sharing a bed with my Mom and sister.  That's the good thing about being home.  I do miss my family though.  It's always so good to have everyone in the same location (minus my brother this time and some of the kids). 

While I was in Nashville, I received a call from the Red Cross asking me to give blood.  I don't know if you remember, but I intended to give blood back in January, which didn't work out because my iron levels were too low (for their standards). So, I made an appointment and went on Monday, and SUCCESS!  My iron was high enough to give.  This is simply one of the easiest acts of kindness that anyone can do.  It took them SIX minutes to take my blood.  The questionnaire, etc. took longer, but once I was hooked up ONLY SIX minutes.  And that can save three people's lives. 

Then they gave me this nifty tee-shirt, and the friendly nurse even gave me two shirts for my kiddos!

 

 

I was glad to have helped, and it was a good feeling to give something JUST TO GIVE. 

In other news: My week off of running has come to an end.  My shin splint feels completely heeled.  We'll see how it feels after I run at lunch today.  It was hurting when I walked on it, but I haven't felt it at all in the last couple of days.  If it hurts while running today, then I'll take another week break from running and just stick to Taekwondo.  I want to make sure it heals completely so I can do my 5K in April. 

I am also officially a brown belt in Taekwondo!  I'm so excited.  This week we did some jump, spin, side kicks, and it was so much fun.  I feel like my balance and coordination has improved immensely since I started taking Taekwondo TWO years ago!

I hope to be able to blog a weight loss tips tomorrow.  Until then...

Running and Acting

I'm back into my exercise routine, minus the dojang of course.  I can't wait until Taekwondo opens again.  I dreamt about it last night, and I miss it.  In the meantime, I'm putting some miles on my Brooks.

I went out running yesterday morning, and I made it 2 miles.  I felt the best I have in awhile, mostly contributed to the fact that this cold is finally going away!  I had this sense of exhilaration around 1.5 miles, and I actually felt like I could have run further.  I love the feeling of just being that I have when I run. I love being able to listen to my music (inappropriate songs like G6 too!), and think over important things in my life (and not so important things).  I love the stillness and how I notice everything around me when I'm running.  Yesterday, as I was running by the lake I swear the ducks laughed at me. They were probably thinking, "Hey, look at that lady trying to run!"  But, hey ducks, I did pretty well!  I made it 2 miles in 18 minutes 45 seconds.  I was pretty proud of that time, because after I finished I didn't feel like dying: I felt like running more. 

In other news, I'm still working on my #26Acts for the Sandy Hook victims. I actually feel like I want to live this way from now on, looking for opportunities to help others.  I drove Hubby to work yesterday so my mother-in-law could have the car, and there was this guy fixing the fountain.  He looked so cold, and I turned to Hubby and I said, "I wish I had a pair of gloves to give him.  He needs a pair of gloves."  It's funny, because before I started doing this I probably wouldn't have even noticed a person in need like that! 

My Acts, #9 and #10, were personal to me.  I gave to two people in my life who I love very much, and who I feel are like extended family. 

I signed up to do my Act #11 too!  I'm going to give blood to the Red Cross. I haven't done this in recent years, because I normally faint.  I know stupid, right?  But I hate the feeling of fainting. I told the lady I signed up with that I might faint, and she said she'd bring an extra pillow! My blood type is needed, always, and I just feel like it's the right thing to do.  The blood banks always need blood, so this is a very easy way to help. 

 

 

This act will be in honor of Ana M. Marquez-Greene. 

 

Are you participating in 26 Acts?  If so, feel free to leave your comment in the comment section, telling me what you're doing to spread the effort!