Reasons why I feel SMRT today:

1. I learned how to take a "decently cute & somewhat artsy" picture of myself using Mac's photo booth.

Sadly... the rest of my day was a technological disaster.... but let's not go there... (suffice it to say, I surely benefitted from my stiff drink workout after work :)

Anyway, though... what's shakin' friends? Not too much new happening at "Casa del Amy" this week, although (a) the Christmas decorations did finally come down this past weekend, and I'm contemplating re-decorating on a "we're saving our $$ for a house budget" (read: re-arranging furniture... somewhere in this apartment, J. just shivered with dread, and wondered why...) (b) The weather has been fairly tolerable (we've actually seen some sunshine! wahoo!!... and, to my knowledge, it didn't snow today ...); (c) I've started running again **; (d) Gracie taught herself a new trick (which may have involved getting herself stuck exploring behind the washer ... and may have involved "Mama-Amy" learning some new tricks to get her out ...) and (e) perhaps topping the list: a new work schedule for me (out at 4:30, baby! It may not seem like this is such an amazing thing for those of you lucky dogs who have something called flex-time, but trust me: in OH in the dead of winter every. extra. minute. of sunshine is precious!)

So, to back up and explain a little bit: ** though I may not have explicitly mentioned it, I got a little burned out after my 2nd half-marathon in October (*sigh*... which, honestly, I think had a lot to do with the fact that I didn't train enough and the race itself made me cry was 'tear-inspiring') and so I decided that maybe I would just take a little break from running and work on getting the rest of my life "organized" (you know, I figured I should give myself a little bit of a break ... within the past 10 months I had graduated, moved 2x, started a new job AND gotten married...) But anyway ... I took a little break, and now I am having fun getting back into it.

...And I say that with absolutely no sarcasm :) This time I am going slow, and making sure that I give myself plenty of variety so that I don't get mentally tired. My number one goal is to enjoy myself, fall in love with running again, and get in the best shape of my life. ...After all, as anyone (Laurie) who unscrambled my "fun list" of goals knows... one of my "to-do's" in the not so distant future is to run a marathon :-0

Yike... It is rapidly approaching the time of night when I turn into a pumpkin (please don't ask what time this actually is... in my defense, I've always needed a lot of sleep ...yeah.)-- so I'll get on with the lists ...

Good List:

1. J :)
2. "Doubled" things (this week I am especially loving: double shots of espresso, double layers of socks, double kitties snuggling under the covers, and of course, double-stuffed oreos!)
3. Snow men (& snow ladies.... and especially 'snow families')
4. Mid-week lunches with old friends :)
5. My garmin
6. Banana-butterscotch bread
7. Family game night
8. Hot showers
9. Counting my blessings
10. Sunshine

Good things about Winter (I'm going to be positive about this!):

• hot chocolate
• snow days
• sledding
• chili! (& soup in general-- so much more appealing when it's cold outside!)
• electric blankets
• fuzzy boots
• romantic winter walks
• fires in the fireplace
• snowflakes
• the fact that waiting out 4+ cold months makes the coming of Spring so much sweeter!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

More soon ...