TGIF

I miss the Ellen Show. I used to watch it all the time and then I started this thing called a 9-6 job. That's when I had to bid adieu to Ellen.... and Gladys.

Apparently today Ellen gave Gladys a jingle and they had yet another great conversation.

Meet Gladys.

Want more Gladys? You're in luck, she was on again today.

Singer Spotlight: Meaghan Smith

This song made it on SB4Pv8 and I can't get it out of my head, but for good reason: she has an amazing voice! Then I googled her and noticed she is absolutely adorable. Better look into some of her other songs!

pic via

Random Thoughts.

1. This website makes me giggle and I'm not even that into the rivalry. Only around some people (read: Greg Knutzen) who bring it out in me... www.uwrejects.com
2. I know I just bought a bike last year (if you remember, it was quite a fiasco), but I already want a nicer one. Since parking has been extremely bad at work lately, I'm thinking of getting back into the biking to work habit. Well, when it's a tad nicer out.
3. Yesterday was National Pancake Day, so I had swedish pancakes. They were taaaaaasty. (When I was back home on Sunday, my nephew's vote for regular pancakes trumped my vote for swedish. Dad compromised and made banana pancakes.)
4. I ran 5 miles yesterday - 2 more than I needed to, but it felt nice. I also realized that I don't need to wear reflective clothing or a headlamp when running in the dark; my bare legs do the job quite well.
5. I'm going wine tasting tonight and will likely end up looking like this.

Olympics Fever

I have a slight case of the Olympics fever. Not actually planning things around particular events or making the trip north, but definitely have my TV set to the right channel when I'm home.

I don't care what you think, but I'm totally diggin' the Norwegian curling team's pants. They're just plain sweet.

Isn't this a great photo of one of the ski jumpers? Which, by the way, I watched a couple minutes of and can't even fathom what kind of knee damage is happening in their landings. Ouch! (and when did I get to the age to automatically think about potential knee damage?)

The biathlon. Quite possibly the funniest Olympic spot. Yes, even ahead of curling. Cross country skiing + rifle shooting = funny.

I'm not trying to join the bandwagon here, but Shaun White is rad. It's not all hype. He's just really, really good. He invented a new jump called the Double McTwist. (Umm, did McDonald's have anything to do with that name? Smells sort of like sponsorship.)

All photos from the Big Picture of the Boston Globe. Great work!

Goodbye, normal life

Hello, running 24/7.

My "official" training program starts this week.

Holy cow. What am I thinking? Family and friends, my apologies for seeming completely unavailable for the next four months.

By the time June 26th rolls along, I will have run 461.2 miles. That's starting today, not even including the last few weeks.

I just have to keep telling myself that normal people do these and still keep their lives balanced. Case in point: Olita. While I do recall her dreading some of the runs where the mileage was in the teens or higher, she made it seem doable. (Olita - You're my inspiration for this one!)

For the 20-miler, Autumn, Maddie and I have already decided that we're running the Burke-Gilman up to Redhook Brewery from Gasworks - a perfect 20 miles. At Redhook we will be greeted by giant cheeseburgers, beer and lots and lots of water. Oh, and Joe, James and Ry Ry. Then they'll drive our stinky butts home. (Thanks in advance guys!)

Happy Birthday, Richelle!

It's my sister's big day today. 32!

This year she deserves the best birthday ever.

Love ya, sis!

Eye candy

Kathryn recently introduced me to a florist's blog called JL Designs and boy, I had no idea how much I'd enjoy looking through pictures of pretty flowers! Almost makes me want to set up shop and start arranging and selling flowers for a living. Here are a couple of my favorites.

all pics from their lovely blog

Let there be sun.

I ate lunch outside today (Yay!) and it was absolutely gorgeous. The sun in shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky. For the first time since late Fall, I had to whip out my sunglasses! My poor, poor sunglasses that have remained in my purse since last summer. Getting thrown around. Smashed with keys. Scraped with Altoids tin. Just completely unprotected. They're on their last leg for sure.

I've always been a Target/B.P. $10 glasses sort of gal, but I wonder if I spent a tad more, maybe I would take better care of my glasses? I'm not talking a lot of money like my dream pair of Tom Fords, but maybe something a step above Target. So I'm on a quest. Find new sunglasses. It's a good investment, right? Protecting your eyes from UV rays (in style) is very important.

Here are some options that I've found at the Nordstrom Sunglass Shop.

Winter Olympics 2014, here I come!

Contrary to what you may have thought, my first cross country skiing experience looked nothing like this.

However, I wouldn't say I was graceful by any means either. The thing is, it's not difficult to do, but it's difficult to do extremely well right off the bat. But I trucked along and didn't fall. (But came close when I took my eyes off the prize... err, trail.)

Behold, a future Olympic Gold Medalist in Cross-Country Skiing

The "Lewis and Clark" pose.

First snowshoeing, now cross-country skiing.

I'd say we're kinda badass.

Artsy.

I sometimes wish I was more artsy. I mean, I can be creative sometimes (not to be confused with any great artistic skills), but I'm too much of a damn perfectionist to start anything. I just know that it will take me too long and I'll labor and obsess over the parts I don't like or the small mistakes only seen by my eye.

Hmm, I wonder where I got this from? Yep, my mother. But she doesn't let the perfectionism get to her. She just keeps bustin' out new works of art. I can't even tell you how many projects I've seen her take on over the years. Currently it's necklaces and nuno scarves - both taught to her by my artsy Aunt Jo Ann. They are really quite creative ladies!

Which brings me to the reason for this post: Ballard Art Walk. Little did I know, but there is an art walk every month in Ballard and last weekend I went for the first time. Joe and I went to see his buddy/my neighbor's show. It was really cool! (Puts my stick figures to shame.)

Great art. Good beer. Crazy McDonald's cheeseburger-tasting Doritos. Good company. Fun post-show trip to the Sloop. Overall, good times.

TGIF

Here are some of the things that have gotten me through this long lovely Friday.

1. My grandma sent me a Starbucks card for Valentine's Day, so I got a fun coffee drink this morning. Thanks, Gma Toni! (See both grandmas below - aren't they cute? Holden admitted that he thought my Gma Toni was my aunt.)
2. I recently wrote about running in the dark on my Seattle PI blog and asked for suggestions for well-lit running routes. Then today I checked to see if anyone as commented and found the best comment of all time: "Being a full time creeper I'm not in favor of publicly lit paths or streets. How am I supposed to stay hidden in the bushes with all this light?" Thank you man or woman, for making me feel that much safer on my night runs. (Holden?)
3. I had lunch here with my awesome coworkers. We're going to make it a tradition. Working on my new year's resolution still!
4. Poker tonight. And you know how much I love poker.
5. This quote, straight from the mouth of my own co-worker _____, "Well, I learned from the Bachelor, since the Bachelor is where I get all of my love and romance advice, that..." I'm leaving you with a cliffhanger, I know. Must protect the innocent.
6. 3-day weekend. Amen.

It's beginning to look a lot like SPRING.

The blossoms are blooming in Ballard. The sun is rising a little bit earlier and setting a little bit later. Seattleites are braving the weather in shorts at times (showing their ghostly pale gams at Alki last Saturday). I can't stop thinking about Yahtzee-playing picnics at Greenlake.

I realize that today isn't the prettiest out there, but here's to hoping that these blossoms prove that Spring is just around the corner.


The alternative could be the Snowmageddon that DC is experiencing. I guess Seattle was spared this year since we had our own healthy dose last year. (I'm not going to lie, I wish we had gotten some snow this year, but now I'm ready for Spring. So now - no snow, please. Thank you.)

pics via and via

Nice to meet you, Alki.

Alki Beach and I have officially started what I believe will be a long-lasting relationship. We hung out not once, but TWICE this weekend. Friday for a late night stroll and Saturday for a 6 mile wonder run. It feels like a little California coastal town. Me gusta mucho.

But seriously, with a running trail like this:

And a view of downtown Seattle like this:

I can tell this is going to be an amazing love affair.

pics via and via

I covet

I put this dress in my shopping bag online. It's pretty. The picture doesn't do it justice. I've actually already tried it on while taking a little detour to Anthropologie. It definitely suits me. Now the waiting game begins. (Please go on sale. Please go on sale.)

Dip-a-Palooza VI

[This is what happens when you win DAP - flag, champagne, french bread, DAP plaque]

This weekend is Dip-a-Palooza VI. A dip-making contest that draws people from far and wide. It's on Superbowl Sunday. Two years ago, I had a monumental win and now my names resides with other greats like Holden, Walker and Jaison.

This year, I'm not going to win, I'm going to eat. Think about it: 30 options of delectable dips? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I won't be watching any football. Who's playing again? (Just kidding, I'm predicting the Saints will take it, but I'm just picking them because I really want to go to New Orleans and their symbol is the fleur-de-leis which reminds me of my mom. Because she really likes them. And has them all over her house. They look pretty.)

Rules of DAP from the invite:
Everyone brings one dip
Everyone gets one vote for the best dip
The winner gets their name on a plaque and achieves dip immortality
Absolutely no dip lobbying towards friends, family or wives - it's not in the spirit of DAP

This year's trailer...

Last year's trailer...

I have a problem

I hit the snooze alarm for 30-40 minutes every morning. At least. I wish I didn't, but I don't know how to stop. This morning I typed "snooze alarm addiction" into Google and found my answer.

Meet: The clocky.
The description from the website:

The patented alarm clock that runs away and hides to get you out of bed. Clocky gives you one chance to get up. But if you snooze, Clocky will jump off your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide, beeping all the while. You'll have to get out of bed to silence his alarm. Clocky is kind of like a misbehaving pet, only he will get up at the right time.

I don't think this alarm clock would survive more than a couple mornings of beatings, but it might actually be worth a try. Again, I feel bad for people who have had to sleep in the same room. Not only do I talk in my sleep, I hit the snooze button like it's my job. I'm sorry.

buh-bye, alex.

I confess: I put a picture of Alex Rodriguez on my ceiling, above my bed when I was 10. My parents were gracious enough (or just not interested in the ceiling decorations of their now-guest room) and have left it as is.

Until now.

My mom just called to tell me a little story about Kamron; I'm sure one of many to come now that he and Richelle are living at home.

Here's how it played out:

"Grandpa! Can you come lay down with me for a minute?"
"Sure. What's up, Kam?"
"Well, I have good news and I have bad news."
"Ok, what's the bad news?"
"I really don't like that poster."
"No problem. I'll take it down. What's the good news?"
"The good news is that you don't have to take it down now."

On Kam's order, after 16 years, Alex will be retired... and probably quickly replaced by Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Wanna go ride bikes?

Autumn apparently doesn't let the weather get in her way (look at the excitement in her eyes!), but I'm a bit of a fair-weather biker. However, I'm thinking that a nice bike ride might be in my near future. Maybe not all the way to Redhook again, but something to get the pedals moving. I think I'm just ready for the season to change. Then I can also get back to my work on this!

Dear Spring,
I can't wait for you to be here. Please hurry.
Sincerely,
Petes

SB4Pv8

IT HAS BEEN RELEASED!

You heard me. Sweet Beats for Petes Vol. 8 has officially hit the airwaves (of my car) and let me tell you, it quite possibly might top the charts.

For those of you who are unfamiliar (and I feel bad for you if you've never experienced the glory of SB4P), it is a kick-ass (and I rarely swear on this blog, so this apparently means I'm super pumped) compilation of the best songs of today and yesterday that is only released every 4 months, by the one and only, MadTronics.

One of my fave songs on Volume 8 so far is "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks. Mainly because of the story that goes along with it. So Karen has this friend down at OSU who was singing the lyrics as such:

"Why does love always feel like a battlefield, a battlefield, a battlefield?...

I guess you better go get SHARONDA!"

[Real lyrics: Sharonda = Your armor.]

But I can totally see where she was coming from. I mean, if you ask me, Sharonda sounds like quite a bad ass. I think she'd have my back in the battlefield. So from this day on, if we ever need someone to have our back, we just gotta go get Sharonda.

(But Lizzie said she'd fill in as Sharonda whenever we need her. Thanks, Lizzie!)