These Feet are Ready!

My feet have ran many training miles for this marathon in only 8 days!  I know a lot of people will say, gross..... feet!  But my feet have worked so hard and been so good to me!  I am so excited to feel so ready for Newport.

Only in October did I run Portland Marathon and so many things went wrong for me.  Even though so many things went wrong, it was still a good experience and I am glad I did it.  I did finish after all!!!! Doing Portland made me see things different and made me a stronger person. 

I am very happy to go into Newport feeling ready...it's PR time for sure!  I have more support than ever.  I have trained with my new running buddy Tonya who has become my best friend over that last few training months.  She has made this a even better experience.  My cousin from AZ is flying in to run her 2nd marathon.  My friend Katie and Blanca are running their first marathons.  My Mom is walking her first marathon.  I have people coming to support me on the course!  We are gonna have a good ole time!  I am looking forward to lots of tears of pain and tears of joy!  I don't expect this to be easy, even with the training.  it will be hard, but that just makes it more worth doing!

I have enjoyed my taper this week.  Next week, I hope I am still enjoying the taper, but it gets scary!  I have to just trust my training and trust the taper (I know it works).  If I am a mess this next week, just tell me..."trust your training Julie!  Snap out of it!" 

Rats!

   I have spent the last few days working on "the crazy house."  Its a old vacant house that I am helping clean up for the owners to sell.  Today I went in early to get a few hours in before the day got going.  I was in this large house by myself cleaning the kitchen cupboards.  Doesn't seem like a big deal hu?  Well, you have to understand how I was in this "large house" "alone"....I locked the doors, turned on the radio and started cleaning!  The smell of bleach fills the air and I realize that I have to clean up mouse droppings!  Nice!!!  As I'm cleaning out mice dropping from the drawers a commercial comes over the radio..."It's rat season, so buys your gun from "so-n-so" to keep the rats under control!  Oh, that's just nice...I am scared of guns, rats and mice!  I didn't get all freaked out, just had to laugh! I mean, what more can you do but laugh?  At least I didn't "see" a mouse, rat or  gun in that old vacant house!!!

PHEW..............

   Last weekend was stressful, awesome, emotional and full of great hard things!  I had to give my self a few day's before I even could blog about it. 
   As many of you know I am in training for Newport Marathon (June 4th). This Saturday I was scheduled to do my last really long run before the taper, which was 23 miles!  Saturday was also the day of the Stop Child Trafficking 5k run/walk for the cause that I am in charge of.  My boys both had games Saturday afternoon so I knew Saturday was out for my 23 miles.  I went out Friday, just hoping and praying I would be ok for Saturday's 3:30am early rise!  
   Tonya and I headed out Friday morning on a beautiful morning.  I was mad I had to run, but "it didn't  matter"...It was the only day, and it had to be done.  The problem with the beautiful morning is when it's warmer out, my body doesn't like it.  When we got to Monmouth we had to stop at DQ to refill all our water containers that usually last the whole run.  The workers in DQ looked at us like we were crazy...it was funny!  Maybe we are crazy...lol!   
   On long runs we bring our music and split apart for a while...long runs are hard, and this sometimes helps.  I was starting to feel done, but we were only at about mile 15!  At mile 20, Tonya ran back to me and I told her I was done...I was really ok, just to be done at that point!  Tonya knows me well, and knew I needed to go to 23 like the schedule said just for my mental training.  She said, "Julie, you are going to go 3 more miles like the schedule says and I will stay with you."  It was just what I needed to here, but it was still hard...so I cried for a minute then ran the 3 miles just fine.  I have never cried during a run, but i did.  We then walked a very slow long cool down and it was good to be done!
   I was able to go home and actually get some things done, I never know how my body is going to react to a long run...I was ok!
Saturday morning came and I was so excited for the SCT 5k!  I got up at 3:30am and loaded up!  I took 3 helpers with me and off we went to the park to mark the course and wait for the other volunteers to arrive for set-up.  I had a wonderful group of volunteers (some I knew, and some I had never meet)..who were eager to help wherever needed.  We got set up and the runners/walkers started coming to check in.  We had perfect weather and there was a fun energy with all the excited people waiting to start.  The Corvallis Knights came with their mascot "Mack the Knight"  He was giving everyone hi-5's.  The Body Shop came with fun samples.  Chelan from Stop Child Trafficking was there with her info. We even had coffee and cookies! Now, it was time to start!  We had about 70 people either walk or run and about 15 volunteers.  We raised about $4000.00 for "the cause" and since the race was sooo early, everyone still had their whole Saturday to do whatever they wanted.  I got to spend time with my Mom and watch my boys play some baseball.  My daughter and husband ran the 5k  By the way...Raelee got her best 5k time ever!  She is amazing!

I want to thank all my friends and family who either ran, walked, volunteered or gave financially to this cause. This would of not been successful with-out everyone!

I am still recovering from being tired, but doing good!  I am overwhelmed at the support I received from the community of Dallas!  I really love this town and the people who live here!

~"Would you rather suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret?"

The other day my friend Tonya said, "Would you rather suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret?"
I got to thinking about this and I would rather suffer the pain of discipline.  If I can discipline myself in running, budgeting, taking care of my family, cleaning, working ..(.the list could go on for quite some time), I am so much happier and feel so much better.  When I don't discipline myself in these things, I am always disappointed and upset with myself.  Don't be afraid to discipline yourself...it will pay off!

Mother's Day Shopping Trip...$1.01

Today Raelee and I set out to Salem looking to see what we could get for nothing.  We stopped at Rite Aid and picked up........

3 Precise Heat Patches $5.00 each
1 Precise Pain Cream $5.00
4 Carefree Liners $1.00 each
2 Skittles 2/$.99
1 Gallon Milk $2.23 reg. $2.79 (my 20% discount came off of this item)
Total $27.78
-$3.00 Survey Coupon
-4/$5.00 off Precise coupons
-4/$1.00 off Carefree coupons
-20% discount on milk -$.56
Printed off a Survey Code for $3.00 off my next order...very happy about that!!!
OOP $.22

Next we went to Walgreens and picked up .............

4 Starburst Candy $2.67
Colgate Toothbrush $3.00
Colgate Toothpaste $3.00
SunBurnt Therapeutic After-Sun Gel $3.99
Ultimate Flora Daily Care $15.00
Total $27.66
-Starburst Coupon 2/$.50
-SunBurnt Gel Coupon $.50
-Colgate Coupon $.75
-Colgate Coupon $.75
-Ultimate Flora Coupon $2.00
-$4.00 Register Rewards from last week
-Ultimate Flora Rebate $15.00
-SunBurnt Rebater $3.99
My Total -$.33 and I got a $4.00 Register Reward back for next time along with a Free Redbox Code for a Free movie

Made a quick stop at Safeway before heading home too.....

1 box of cereal $1.88
1 Carefree Liner $1.00
1 Listerine $4.49
Total $7.37
-50% off clearance Listerine $2.25
-1.00 off coupon for Listerine
-1.00 coupon for cereal
-$.50 off carefree liners
-$1.50 double coupon
Paid $1.12

Total Retail Value $62.81
Over All...Paid $1.01 for everything and got back $4.00 Rewards for next time plus a FREE movie and a $3.00 Survey Coupon for next trip

My Saving's this weekend!....Paid $7.17 for this!

Had one more $10.00 off $50.00 coupon for Safeway burning a hole in my pocket.  My problem was, I only really needed milk and fruit right now....hummm, what to do!  I decided to go get my milk and fruit and see what I could get for free using coupons.....let the fun begin!!!!

Milk $2.49

Banana's $1.95

Apples $4.09 (used 1/$1.00 off coupon)

Ensure $11.98 (gonna summit rebate and get money back!)

Sunny Delight $.99 each (used 2/$.55 coupons)

14 Hershey Bars B2G2 $9.90 (used 9 B1G1 coupons -$8.91)

12 Power Bars $14.00 (used 6 B1G1 coupons - $9.00) (had 7 but the cashier missed one...bummer!)

2 Dannon Greek Yougurts $2.00 (used 1.00 coupon)

3 boxed of cereal $5.64 (used $1.00 coupon)

Used $10.00 off coupon and double coupon worth $2.00

My total came to $80.29

Paid $14.16 after coupons came off

Will submit a rebate for the ensure

My new total after rebate is $7.17!

I realize there a lot of things I don't NEED, but they were FREE so I'm not gonna complain...lol!

Another Trip to Rite Aid!.....Lots of good deals today!!!

2nd trip to Rite Aid May 4th 2011

Came home and found out about the Duracell deal at Rite Aid

Got the mail and got a FREE Suave Coupon so I made a quick stop by Rite Aid on my way to pick up Randy from school.

I bought 6 packs of AA batteries $8.99, but rang up $2.24 (unadvertised deal) 

I also bought the Suave Conditioner for $2.99

My total would of been $56.93

but rang up $16.43

I used a $3.00 off Survey Coupon I got earlier today.

Used 4 - $1.00 off coupons for the Duracell (wish I had 2 more..still a killer deal!)

Used my FREE Suave Coupon that I got in today's mail.

New total $5.44

Used $5.00 in UP rewards (I got earlier today)

Paid $0.44 OOP plus it gave me another $3.00 survey!!!

Woot! Woot!

Shopping May 4th 2011

 Safeway Trip May 4th 2011

4 boxes of cereal $1.88 each = $7.54

4 6-packs of Snapple $4.99 each = $19.96

2 boxes of Nature Valley Granola Bars (Store Coupon price $1.77 each) = $3.54

4 Hershey Dark Choc Bars B2G2 Free ($1.98)

12 Powerbars $1.00 each =$12.00

Bananas $1.51 ($.65lbs)

Apples $3.95 ($.78lbs)

Pork Back Ribs 50% off of 12.53 = $6.26

Chicken Breast 50% off of 5.23 = $2.62

Used 3/$1.00 off Snapple Coupons (also will submit for a full rebate refund, profit +$3.00)

Used B1G1 Hershey Dark Choco coupons (made the choco bars $.07 cents each)

Used 6 B1G1 for the powerbars making them ($.50 each_

Used 2/$1.00 off and 1/$1.00 off 2 coupons for the 4 boxes of cereal ($1.13 each)

Used $.50/2 coupon for the granola bars ($1.52 each)

Used $1.00 off $5.00 worth of fruit coupon.

On top of that I used my $10.00 off coupon then my Double Coupon ($2.00)

Ended up paying exactly $29.00, but will get $19.96 back using the Snapple rebate

Total $9.04.....NOT BAD!!!!

Rite Aid Trip May 4th 2011

2 bags of Dog Food $3.99 each = $7.98

3 bags of Red Vines 2/$3.00 = $4.50 (the cashier rung it up as 3 and I only had 2)

2 large bags of M&M's 2/$5.00

2 Revlon Tweezers $1.80 each = $3.60

1 Breath Right $5.99 

Total $27.02

Used 4 Rite Aid Survey Coupons -$12.00

Used $5.99 off Breath Right (I didn't need this, but it brought up my total for the survey coupons and it was FREE)

Used $1.00 off coupon for the M&M's

Used $2.00 UP Reward

Paid $2.07 OOP but got $10.00 UP rewards back plus another Survey = $3.00

NOT BAD!