runner rockstar

My prescription for RunnersWorld has run out, but I hear that my favorite girl is back on the front of the cover! I am drawn to most long distance superstars but especially Kara, maybe its because CU is her Alma mater, maybe its because she's a brunette, maybe its because she is a phenomenal 5k runner, or perhaps just that shes a female world class running rock star.

If you weren't aware I have the best husband ever, and last year for my birthday he got us tickets to go to Eugene, OR (Tracktown USA) for the US Track Championships at Hayward Field - One of the best parts about that trip was getting to watch Kara rock out in the 5k AND sneaking a photo with her and the husband Adam Goucher. The proof is below!

Kara rocking it out in the 5K

runner extraordinaire 5K US champion

all smiles - me and the Gouchers

me?... a Kara fan?... you might say so.

Until next time,
Brit

music love

I am always in search of something that will give me a challenge. I do this in many areas of my life ie: running, Jeremy (kidding, I love you husband), school, and my my faith. I most often have a book at my nightstand that provides that challenge for me, but I have come across a couple of girls that have provided me with a challenge through the music they make. Perhaps you have heard of them:

Tal and Acacia These two girls have a fantastic story and it is reflected through their music.

These girls have a great sound but their lyrics are even better! If your looking for a challenge try listening to them and not feeling challenged to work harder, be better, and love more.

Until next time,

Brit

from student to teacher...student-teacher!

January is almost over! I pretty much missed it hiding behind papers, book reviews, philosophy statements, article abstracts and other teacherly training assignments.

Goodbye January student, Hello February Teacher! I start student teaching in a 5th grade classroom on Monday! I am so excited, nervous, but I say bring it.

One of the biggest realizations that I have come to in preparing for student teaching is my incredibly pitiful teacher clothes wardrobe! Another challenge to throw in, my pants are starting to get uncomfortably tight (making room for baby!) so my wardrobe is cut back significantly more...

A good teacher outfit is really an equation to put together: comfort+modest+flexible+bargain+cute+(maternity)

This art teacher from MA has the equation figured out! (-maternity)

In my struggle to find weeks worthe of outfits that fit into the equation I look to one of the cutest dressing teachers around: Jen from JenlovesKev, I aspire for my teacher wardrobe to be as cute and fun as hers one day...just take a look!

Until next time,

Brit

short post. pretty day!

Aside from the wind, today is a happy pretty day! So I am cutting it short here to go spend some fun out at the park with the dogs soakin' up some well missed vitamin D.

Indoor track season has begun! This weekend we are going to go support the chaps in their first meet of the season! So excited to go watch people run around in a short circle many, many, many times!

Go Chaps!

Until next time,

Brit

quick update!

I've been a bit out of the loop for the last week, with the wreck came a mountain of soreness so the last thing I wanted to do was sit at the computer, therefor the blog became neglected, sorry blog. Still coping with soreness but life continue.

Yesterday was my first day at the school where I'm doing my student teaching. We started with a tour of the great school, it was wonderful, except I hadn't eaten since early that morning, and I also hadn't had that much physical exertion since before the accident so I guess it was a combination of the two(throw in some wacky anxious nerves) and in the process of our tour I nearly fainted! Aside from being completely embarrassed I was fine, just a little woozy.

Not exactly the wow first impression I was hoping to jump off of on my first day. So after spending an embarrassing morning in the school nurse I got enjoy the rest of my day!

The nurses looking after me were more than great, so in the spirit of loving school nurses I found this fun comic!

Its good to be back!

Until next time,
Brit

m.i.a.

Well as my last post said, on Wednesday night we were on our way to the Tech men's basketball game...but we never actually made it. On our way there we were involved in a car accident. It made for a scary, scary, painful, long, and not my kind of fun night.

Fortunately we were all OK! The ambulance took Jeremy and I to the emergency room where we were taken good care of. Jeremy had just stitches on his knee. They found the baby's heartbeat and it was strong, which was the biggest relief of all! And I only had some cuts and bruises to go along with all the soreness.

We are so thankful to friends and family for the support and help they've been through the last few days. and most importantly to God for his protecting hand through this mess that could have been so devastatingly worse if it weren't for so many factors. God is good.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6

Until next time,
Brit

goin' to the game

Tonight we are going to watch the men's Texas Tech basketball game! Should be lots of fun after a full day of work and school for me and the husband...enjoying the spur of the moment excursions while it lasts!

Get your guns up!

Until next time,
Brit

(photo found here)

back in motion

Today was the first of the last! I started back to school for my final (Of this portion of my education) semester! It was a whirlwind of dos and don'ts for the teaching world and a big fat dose of excitement! We won't officially start our student teaching until February so the certification prep classes in between are brewing our anticipation!

Also for today we had a Dr's appointment, everything checked out A+ ! We heard our little baby's heartbeat, making this pregnancy thing more and more of a reality! We should (fingers crossed) find out next time if were having a little baby boy or little baby girl, we are so stoked just to know, is it a little Pheobe or little Pheobo? (Any FRIENDS fans?) In any case we are excited either way and ultimately just want the little thing to be happy and healthy.

With that, here's to happy babies!



Until next time,
Brit

run forest run

This was a great movie, loved it!...and thanks to it runner's everywhere have been subjected to the tormenting calls Gump made famous, you know it...and I am sure you have said it, that's right "Run Forest Run!". FYI we don't like it when you do that, so stop.

In my years of running I have heard that obnoxious saying come from non-runners everywhere. As time passes and that movie drifts farther and farther back on the movie chain I aim for the day when that saying will no longer be a rude remark yelled by people on the sidelines but will take on a new meaning...


This shirt puts a fun twist on that old saying, I like it when its put like that!

Until next time,
Brit

prayer pretzels

This was a fascinating discovery for me! When I clicked this link I was expecting to find a cute craft using pretzels to help teach children about prayer, and actaully I learned something:

Pretzels were originally made by monks who would give them as a reward to children who had learned their prayers. Their shape was made to look like a childrens arms folded when they pray. Did you know this? I sure didn't. Fascinating.

I'll never eat a pretzel the same again.

Until next time,
Brit

first friday art trail

Tonight's not technically the first Friday of January but because of New Year's the art trail will be tonight. Jeremy is showing at Glassy Art Gallery all this month.

I am so excited to bundle up for the cold and hop on the trolley to see what great art is being shown tonight....pretty excited about the free food too!

The trail is from 6pm-9pm...maybe I'll see you there!

Until next time,
Brit

ps: if you can't make it, you can see some of Jer's work on his website: www.jeremysigleart.com

greyhound fashion

The weather here has been so so so cold, the windchill keeps it below 10 all day. This weather creates a dilemma in our household for Bosley, Shiloh, and Desota. We usually trip out to the dog park 2-3 times a day for a fun romp, but the weather makes the trips much more miserable.

For Bosley(Puguaua) It is easy to dress him for the cold, we always are picking up fun sweaters and overcoats in bargain bins. For Shiloh and 'Sota however, finding clothes for their small heads and deep chests is quite a challenge.

Well, thank you Etsy - Greyhound lovers have created some of the cutest cold weather greyhound-wear around!!

Pink Fleece Check Hat found here!

So cute pea coat found here!

Greyhound Sweater found here!

Maybe dressing up the girls in some of these fun finds will make our cold day treks out to the dog park more enjoyable, if not, at least more fashionable!

Until next time, Brit

(f)Fun with (f)Phonics!

Last semester I went through an intense study of phonics in one of my methodology classes, now I can't help but to decode every word I see, or comment on my own vocabulary when I use words(bossy R) that have consonant blends(bl) and digraphs. Phonics is an intensely important aspect of young children's process of learning to read and write so when this educational objective meets design and decor I just fall in love! I am very excited about decorating a baby room so I am always snooping around for inspiration and good finds! Well today during my snooping two of my loves combined! I was reading today's post on the little green notebook and found some fun vintagey stuff - I love the idea for the children's room; incorporating the "Bossy R" phonics rule is so much fun this way, and educational too!

This way cool vintage sign was found on Etsy at SevenBC.

Until next time,

Brit

cold front warm soup

There's a cold front on its way in. The wind is blowing and the temperature is dropping...a lot! The weather made tonight a perfect night for some warm soup. I opted to make some potato soup, I love potatoes cooked any way - french, mashed, curly, baked, loaded, fried, you get the idea.

I found lots of variations on the classic recipe! Check em out: http://www.potatosouprecipe.com/

Until next time,
Brit

13 weeks, awaiting the bump

Since forever people always have joked that during my pregnancy I would be "all belly". Well 13 and a HALF weeks into it, and I'm still no belly...except after meals when I tend to show my "Food Baby" (courtesy of Mary's quotes from Juno).

While I anxiously await for the appearance of the infamous Baby Bump I shop! I had spotted these shirts at a boutique in town but as I was scanning Etsy I found some of the super trendy maternity shirts at JellybeanApparel!!!

These are some of my favorites...

So excited for showing off the bump...whenever it gets here!

Until next time,
Brit

bad news noodles

I always heard about the infamous "Cravings" of pregnancy but I have yet (I think) to experience them (Aside from the jar of pickles bought the night of the at home test...the husband says it was all in my head, even though I had to open the jar while still in the parking lot of the grocery store, he is usually right though.) Because of the incredible amount of morning sickness that has taken over my life I have found immense difficulty in creating a steady diet that will not find its way up later.

This has been a huge adjustment for me, because if you know me at all, you know I LIKE TO EAT! Being a runner and a continuously active person I have never been a girl to pass on seconds, or thirds or more - I can really put it away.


So anyways for me, while I look forward to the days of endless eating and crazy cravings, for now I stick to the daily search for the one dish that will satisfy and stay down. The dish that sounds good today is on the menu at Noodles & Company. Good news, I have figured out what I want to eat...bad news: No Noodles in Texas. Get with it Texas.

I guess its back to the pickle jar for now.

Until next time!
Brit

A New Year, a New blog.

Well I've jumped on the band wagon! I have been a reader of blogs for quite some time, but the idea of creating my own I never thought too much about until, to be quite honest, a certain movie came out about a blogging, cooking gal.

My aspiration for this blog is to be a creative outlet, a source for family updates, and in general a spot for me to say whatever I want!

To begin I'll let you know a little more about me: I am a student, graduating in May(Yay!) I am a wife married to a great guy for over 2 years --- time flies! I am a runner, competing throughout my college career and enjoying....most of it! I am a soon-to-be-mother, baby will be here in early July! and finally (if you can sum up a person in a paragraph) I am a Christian, convicted of Christ's love for me and trying to share it with others in the same way He shares it with me, unconditionally.

I look forward to sharing more with you!

Until Next Time,

Brit