i’m just going to roll a bunch of stuff into one post.

multi-tasker?

or just lazy blogger?

last night, after everyone was tucked into bed, my seven year old came out holding a tooth.

i didn’t even know he had a loose tooth.

he is now missing four front teeth. it’s the cutest thing ever!

and i’m not biased.

at all.

brownie’s promise.

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i’ve been working hard on the photography workshop.

we have a name, we have a date, we have fabulous handmade shops donating fabulous items and so much more! tickets will be available for purchase in just a few weeks.

i’ll share more soon.

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i’ve thought more about my post the other day. a lot about it.

natasha gave me an idea. a fun idea.

what if we each did an {unofficial} race the week my optional races are scheduled. each participant will either need to blog about their race or share it on daily mile or some other site that’s similar and then come back here and leave a comment with a link.

everyone who leaves a comment with a link will be entered to win something fun.

i haven’t decided what that fun thing will be yet.

but, it will be fun.

because i’m giving it away.

and i’m fun.

right?

anybody can join in. if you want to walk, walk/jog, run, sprint . . . whatever.

thoughts? interested?

if so, that will provide enough motivation for me to push myself ~ knowing that many of you are out there pushing yourselves, too.

p. s. sometimes i really feel sorry for y’all. my thoughts come out in such a disorganized crazy mess. ::snort::

it’s just me.

sharing.

opening up and exposing my heart a little bit. always a bit awkward and uncomfortable.

i’ve been in the middle of an ugly mental battle since monday.

i can’t even say with certainty what started it.

loser #1 ~ the voice of doubt

i always struggle a little with doubt. it’s not anything new. sometimes the voice is so quiet i’m not even sure it’s there. other times, like now, i feel like it’s screaming right in my ear rattling my eardrum.

it can become paralyzing. it can turn me into a quitter.

i hate it.

loser #2 ~ the giant of fear

i’m afraid.

i’m afraid all the hard work i’ve put into living a healthier life over the past year will vanish. i’m afraid i’m going to sabotage myself. i’m afraid i’m going to go back to my old ways.

and i’m afraid.

. . . . . . . .

honestly, i really want to punch both of those losers in the face.

Just in case you missed the earlier installments, here is Part I and Part II.

11} Teach a photography workshop.

I’m excited {and nervous} to announce that this is in the works! Yes, yes it is. Melissa and I are partnering up to teach a workshop together in the spring. It will be a very small workshop hosted in my home for any local people interested. We’re still in the brainstorming phase, but I am so excited about the possibilities.

I foresee lots of fun in this workshop’s future.

Also, I keep telling myself, “If you plan it, they will come.”

12} Complete the C25K program.

When I started this list back in the summer, I was in the beginning weeks of the Couch 2 5K program. I was so afraid I would quit and not finish that I added it to my List of Dreams. I hoped if I wrote it down and saw it staring back at me I would have the extra motivation to keep going.

It worked.

Man, oh man. I can’t tell y’all how good it feels to cross that off my list.

13} Tour a vineyard.

I have never ever ever ever been to a vineyard. Ever.

I want to.

Somethin’ fierce.

Who wants to be my designated driver? ‘Cuz I would totally need one.

::snort out loud::

But, seriously . . .

14} Be in a flash-mob.

If you are anything like my man, I feel I need to clarify that being in a flash-mob does not involve flashing anyone.

::snort out loud::

A flash-mob is when a group of people spontaneously break out into a choreographed dance routine in public.

The sad part of this item on my list is I had the opportunity to do this last year at Blissdom, but I chickened out.

Let me repeat that: I chickened out.

::hangs head in shame::

What was I thinking?! Lame, Ruthanne. Just lame.

15} Open a photography business.

This was a scary one for me.

Opening a business, in and of itself, is not overly complicated.

Overcoming your inner naysayer, critic and incessant doubter and deciding to take the plunge . . . that is what is scary.

Can I do this? Will I fail? Will people laugh at me behind my back? Will anyone hire me?

On and on and on . . . .

Yes, I’ll fail. Yes, people will laugh at me. Yes, there will be people who won’t hire me.

And that’s okay.

Failure is actually a good thing. It means you’re putting yourself out there and doing something.

I guess I should add another item sub-set under this one: Grow a successful and thriving business.

I’m working on it. Slowly, but surely.

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What about you? Have you started your list yet? What’s your number one?

after our run today, i grabbed my camera.

i was itching to capture this guy.

i mean . . . how cute is he?

and this is after running.

by way of comparison, here’s my mug after running:

exactly.

we’ll stick with the cute one.

he has a love/hate relationship with my camera.

it’s like this.

he loves it as long as something sweet is involved.

bribery.

he’s my son.

he’s most definitely my son.

#canbebribedwithsugar

niiiiiiiice one.

love it.

wait.

i know this look.

where do i know this look from?

ooooooh.

it’s on the tip of my brain . . . .

that’s it!

it’s me first thing in the morning as i stumble my way to the coffee pot.

good imitation, buddy.

and there it is.

the smile.

i love that smile.

the missing teeth make it that much more sweet.

p. s. what can you be bribed with? oh, come on. ‘fess up!

Late last week, the crew and I headed down to Melissa’s place on our way to Dallas for Cotton Bowl weekend.

Can I get a Woo Pig?!

Melissa had rearranged her living room and mantel again. She does that a lot. Unlike me. I never rearrange anything.

Lazy much, Ruthanne? Check.

Back to Melissa.

I fell in love. All the gallery wrapped prints on the wall, the angled couch with the rustic table pushed up behind it, and the mantel filled with whatnots.

One of the things I adore about visiting Melissa is I always feel right at home as soon as I step in her door. Don’t you love places like that?!

The only thing it’s missing is a coffee pot. And coffee. And coffee cups. {Obviously, our friendship is missing a key ingredient. Coffee.}

Melissa took us out to one of her favorite spots for photography sessions. It’s a beautiful spot with a pond, gentle rolling hills and wooded areas. #jealous

You just never know when Darth Vader might show up. I mean you could be out in the middle of nowhere Arkansas and BAM! . . . there he is.

Kind of scary.

And fun.

Before we left Melissa’s place, I made her snap a picture of the kids and I using my camera.

P. S. I tried to figure out a way to bring that wagon home with me in my van. Without Melissa noticing. Or missing it.

P. P. S. Lil’ Darth informed me the other day that when he grows up he wants to find a wife who loves to play with Star Wars Legos as much as he does. Well . . . . alrighty then. Good luck with that.

do you see the gray hairs starting to make their presence known?

or

do you see the years that have brought both victory and failures and along with them wisdom and insight?

do you see the wrinkles that frame your eyes?

or

do you see the moments of laughter combined together over a lifetime that brought those lines?

do you see the marks carved into your body from each pregnancy?

or

do you see the children who fill your home with joy and taught you what it means to love unconditionally?

a daily battle to look past what the world does not value and remind myself of what true beauty is made of.

gray hair, wrinkles, stretch marks and all.

I found myself in the library yesterday afternoon having to check-out books for myself. Gasp! Purchasing that Garmin swallowed up all of my funds for the month, so my usual Kindle shopping is on a standstill until further notice. Ouch. That can hurt a girl, ya know.

Here’s what I picked up:

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-night Runner – I had never heard of Dean Karnazes until just last month and WHOA! . . . dude is intense. Actually, intense probably isn’t a strong enough word. I’m very curious about him now. Not that I have any desire whatsoever to get into running the kind of distances that he runs. Whatsoever. However, I find his kind of drive and endurance fascinating.

Mini-Shopaholic – Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite fluffy writers. She makes me snort. This book has been out for a couple of years {I think}, so I’m kind of ashamed I’m just now getting around to reading it.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – I saw this book all over the blogosphere last year. When I saw it in the library yesterday, I figured I’d give it a whirl. I’m actually reading this book first.

The Accidental Athlete: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Middle Age {not pictured because it’s on my Kindle} – I was gifted this book for Christmas and read it in a day. I did not get into the first section of the book where he shares about his childhood. I just felt like he could have summarized it in one good chapter and been done. Instead, it felt like he draaaagged it out. Other than that first section, I loved this book! Seriously. I found it so encouraging. If you are a late bloomer to running like me and you sometimes struggle with comparing your running to others, then you may get something out of this book, too. The bottom line: Enjoy each run as if it were your last best day because you never know when your last best day will be.

What are you reading these days?

Is it wrong to envy your daughter’s hair?

‘Cuz I totally do.

In other non-related news {warning: tmi}, here’s a little recap of yesterday’s run . . .

All of my “serious” running gear was buried in the laundry hamper waiting to be washed, so I had to go with a pair of old sweatpants. The only problem with that is it doesn’t have the built-in “drawers” . . . ya know, knickers. Anyway, I went out for my run with a pair that apparently are about two sizes too big.

About five seconds after I started into my run, my knickers started creeping down. Perhaps creeping isn’t the correct term. More like sliding.

Fast.

I giggled and tried to focus on my pace. At about half a mile into the run, they were officially off my bum making their way further south inside my sweatpants. I told myself I would stop once I reached a mile and fix them.

I did.

Five seconds later, they were right back where they sagged down to before.

I figured I would just ignore it and finish up. It was both comical and highly annoying.

I shared this story with the crew last night and they fell out laughing. They were mimicking what they thought I looked like . . . running around trying to hold my knickers up. ::snort out loud::

Ahem.

Just in case you missed Part I – here it is.

6} Teach all of my children how to read.

I have one more child to go. One. More.

There was a time when the thought of teaching one single person how to read made me want to run and hide. Oh, wait. That was just last week.

::snort out loud::

Joking. Only joking. #kindof

Honestly, I’m more proud of teaching my children to read than I am about so many other things. This is a big one in my book.

7} Try in-door rock-climbing.

A year ago this would have never even been on my radar, but I’ve been feeling a little more crazy lately.

Now that I think of it, it’s not really that crazy. I mean . . . . it IS in-door rock-climbing monitored by professionals. It’s not like I’m repelling off the side of a mountain solo. Right? #snort

8} Re-learn to play the flute.

This is one of my big regrets. If I could go back to my fifteen year old self and whack myself over the head a few times, I totally would. I ain’t braggin’ or nothin’ . . . {name that movie}, but I was actually fairly decent. I believe I could have gone far if I hadn’t quit.

I just up and quit. Just like that.

My poor mother. She probably wanted to stick her head through a wall with all of my genius decision making back then.

Right now, my flute is patiently sitting under the bed in my bedroom. It needs a really good cleaning and some of the pads probably need to be replaced, but other than that I think it should be in excellent condition.

I just need to set the money aside and stop making excuses.

9} Take ballroom dancing lessons.

My man and I took a 30-minute lesson a few years ago on one of our anniversaries. It was so much fun!

Dancing with your man . . . . hmmmmm. I highly recommend it.

I would love to take a series of lessons. I just need to talk him into it.

10} Take a wine appreciation class.

Honestly . . . . I’m not picky when it comes to wine. My man buys the cheapest wine to keep our wine rack stocked. I wouldn’t know the difference between good wine and great wine, but I’m a willing learner.

UPDATE on 5} Bake a moist, yellow cake from scratch: I gave it a try a couple of weeks ago and . . . . bombed. It was so dry. So, so soooo dry. I’m not giving up, though.

you can see more pictures here