Post Thanksgiving Wrap-Up Post 1

I'm at work today. I know. It's so depressing. So I will drown my sorrows in the Thanksgiving leftovers I packed in my lunch and post the first update of Thanksgiving.

Two years ago Lisa and I started a tradition of running a race on Thanksgiving morning. We did a 10K two years ago, a 5 miler last year and yesterday we did a 5K. Except that 5K wasn't actually a 5K it was actually a 5 miler (which incidentally is the same race we did last year but we for some reason kept thinking last year's was a 5K too). Soooo let's just say, I could have run a 5K without a lot of trouble, I was NOT prepared for a 5 miler and am suffering the after affects today of sore knees and legs. BUT, the thing about the 5 miler is that I (with Lisa and Debbie) ran the entire thing. We stopped only once to grab the cups of water around the 3.5 mile mark and walked as we drank for about 20 feet, then we picked up and ran again.

I know it sounds braggy, but I'm awesome. And proud of myself for running the entire race! I kind of can't believe I did it all without stopping and with no training since I had shin splints a couple weeks ago and took a three week hiatus on running. I know for you runners out there, 5 miles isn't really that big of a feat but for those who profess to hate running (cough, cough, me), and is entirely too out of shape, it is a real accomplishment.

And, let me tell you, I'm thankful for friends who cheer me on to keep going, run with me at my pace, tell stories because I can't talk and fist bump me each time we pass another mile marker sign.

PS. Sweat bands? Best invention ever! I don't know why I've never worn one before. I'm totally wearing one every time I run from now on.

PPS. Good thing I ran yesterday because it totally prepared me for running down the street this morning at 7 am in my Hawaiian printed robe and boots pushing our big trashcan because we forgot to put it out last night... Yeah... there's a good chance that trash guy got a peek of more Lauren than he should have...

Thanksgiving Prep

Never plan a Thanksgiving dinner while you're hungry. Otherwise it will look a lot like ours:

Thyme and Sage Turkey

Mashed potatoes

Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Pecans

Green Bean Casserole

Brussels Sprouts (I'm now convinced this is an East Coast thing)

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots with Rosemary and Pecans (sounds a lot like the sweet potatoes actually... perhaps I should search for a new recipe...oooh, found one: Honeyed Carrots and Oranges)

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Tangerine Rosemary Dressing 

Raspberry Jello Salad (and yeah, this is definitely a western/Mormon thing)

Rolls

Pumpkin Dessert (courtesy of Debbie)

Banana Pudding

Pumpkin Pie

Apple Pie

Razzelberry Pie

I'm full just looking at it.

 And I'm not going to tell you that there are only six people coming do our dinner...

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Bubbling

The only way I can describe the myriad of tumultuous emotions crowding around in my head and heart is bubbling. The cause of these emotions are not to be posted on a public blog. Lets just say, things aren't peachy in DC Land for Lauren.

SO, to counteract that, I'm posting a few pictures from my weekend:

If you want to read all about the weekend Domineau did a really good write up HERE and HERE. It's worth popping over to read. And really, her blog is always worth a read.

The Parents Visit

I have been a horrifically bad blogger as of late.

My parents came to town for a week a little while ago and it was really fun to have them here (even if it did mess up my Hot Chocolate race training schedule and send my plans for a slimmer waistline down the drain).

Here are a couple of the highlights:

Tour of Hillwood Estate in DC:

Cute town of Clifton, VA and Manassas battle fields:

Basilica at Catholic University 

and the shrine to Our Lady of Czestechowa (taking me back to my Polish roots)

 Phillips Collection, which on the first Thursday of the month includes hor d'orves and music:

I barely took any pictures of myself the whole weekend and only took pictures because my sister Jess insisted for her memories, but I did go to all these things.

(Highlights not pictured: Frederick Douglass house in Anacostia, Kennedy Center concert, Dumbarton Oaks museum)

Thanks M&D for a good week. Jess, you're welcome for the pictures.

Note to self

Do not eat blue Airheads while working.

Also, exciting fact for the day:

Today's date is a palindrome (you know the same thing forwards and backwards, like racecar or 2002 or boob or as wikipedia tells us, dammit i'm mad-- now spell them all backwards)

So, today's date: 11/02/2011 

Awesome huh? 

Maybe as awesome as my blue tongue?