Wee Bit Wednesday

{one} how often do you do laundry?Once a week, or once every two weeks if I go out of town for the weekend (to visit Justin in Dallas or to MD Anderson in Houston).
{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?Chocolate chip with crushed walnuts
{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?Right now, put it towards my trip to India. But if I was not going, I would pay for my parents to extend their back porch. 
{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school?Too many to choose! In grad school, I loved Social Work in a Global Setting and Advanced Policy. In undergrad I loved Calculus 2, Victorian Literature (I majored in English), and all my Anthropology courses. Haha, can you tell I was a bit of a drifter?
{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?No, I haven't. Sounds a little scary.
{six} what was your high school mascot?A Thunderbird.
{seven} if you had the chance to go into space, would you?Abso-freaking-lutely! I wanted to be an astronomer, but my parents talked me out of it because it didn't make enough money. Sooo I went into social work, ha.
{eight} how often do you go dancing?Not often, but I love to!
{nine} would you rather drive or fly?It depends on the type of trip. Justin and I have been dreaming about doing a meandering road trip to a music festival one summer.
{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?Absolutely not!

Happy Saturday!

This morning I woke up and had a lovely 5.3 mile country run in my new fancy kicks:

I've been putting off buying new running shoes because they are soooo expensive, but also because I bought my old pair when I started grad school in 2009 and have a sort of sentimental attachment to them.  I finally went to Run-On yesterday after my old tennis shoes left me nursing 4 painful blisters from a short run with my niece and nephew. Let me tell you that Lauren, who helped me at Run-On, was SO amazing!! She passed on some really great knowledge and was so sweet and helpful that I felt happy even after seeing my $130 bill. Here are a couple of tips she gave me:

1. Running shoes shouldn't tight on your foot. She said that most soccer players like myself are used to a tight fit, but that it's not good for your toes when running.

2. There should be a thumb's width between your big toes and the end of your shoe. 

3. There are different levels of support with running shoes. I needed medium support, but it's based on how much your foot rolls inside or outside when you push off the ground. 

4. Shoes should be replaced every 300 miles or every 4-5 months. (Ummm, this probably won't happen in my case). 

5. Running shoes are a lot lighter than other shoes, and some brands claim to be running shoes, when in fact they are not good for running at all. Which was the case with my Nike Shox - Lauren told me they were too heavy, didn't bend in the middle to support my arch as I ran, and were a size too small.

See what I mean about awesome info?! She was great! So yes, this morning I woke up, went for a nice long, slow run, and finished with ZERO new blisters and ZERO knee pain. I love Lauren!!! I want to cradle her little face in my hands and tell her I love her! Okay, she might take that the wrong way... I'll just call the store and say thank you :)

P.S. The only downside to running alone in the country is that I got preoccupied with "what would happen if I got seriously injured out here?" Haha, I kept envisioning myself tripping over a rock, breaking my hip, and ending up on "I Shouldn't Be Alive" after a wolf eats my legs. That thought, along with other equally gruesome scenarios, actually made my run go by pretty fast!

Wee Bit Wednesday

 {one} have you ever fainted?Once when I was in 4th grade. Music class, as we were standing and singing. Luckily I sat down right before it happened. 
{two} what is your favorite casino game?Poker! I used to play a lot in college.
{three} do you have a good sense of direction?YES, thank you momma!!! My dad and two sisters have the WORST sense of direction, and every time I'm a passenger in their car, I thank baby Jesus I've been blessed. 
{four} laptop or desktop?Both! I loveloveLOVE computer games (nerd alert!) which are better on desktops, but study/write better in a coffee shop on my laptop. 
{five} what is your go-to hair style when having a bad hair day?A french braid or bun. 
{six} do you read the newspaper on a daily basis?No, which is a bit embarrassing.
{seven} do you have a favorite celebrity chef?Paula Dean, purely for entertainment value, or Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)
{eight} what tv show would you like to make a guest appearance on?I agree with Steph, TRUE BLOOD! I would love to be Queen Sophie!
{nine} do you have satellite radio in your car?Nope. On long drives I listen to audiobooks
{ten} what was the last movie that made you cry?Honestly, I can't remember. My movie choices are pretty mindless (loved Tron!). I can say I cried during the show Wicked. It was so beautiful. 

Birthday Boys

It's my brother and nephew's birthdays again, and we always celebrate together. Here are a few of my favorite shots this weekend (thank goodness for an awesome camera!):

The smiley birthday boy, my nephew Diego.

I'Olani aka tiger face.

The birthday boys, Diego and my bro. Can you tell how Doogy self-soothes?

Trampoline, beach balls, and my niece Alana.

My other niece Eva

Love.

Gorgeous girl.

This non-working cell phone was the hit of the party.

Evalu has tricks.

Lulu and her pretty eyes

My sister-in-law Steph

Eva, and the gaping hole where she knocked a tooth out.

Diego would answer the phone "hello?" then say, "ohhh mannnn!"

Lovelovelove

Tickles

Tia loves you handsome!

Truth be told, I want a whole wall in my house full of candid pictures of my family. I love pictures of people being themselves - laughing, staring, napping (okay, I know that sounds creepy!), reading - so I can remember them exactly how they are when they're gone. 

P.S. Sorry I've been away too long... Between preparing to go abroad, work, exercising, classes, family, and visiting Justin, I've been exhausted! I've been reading your blogs though, and I love the little peeks inside your lives. I'll give you some updates soon! xo