We have windows!

I believe all our windows are in at this point. Framing is done. Next is drywall. Yippee!!



After much thought and consideration, I will not be running the Detroit Freep Marathon this year :(

For a couple different reasons.

First, this whole house building thing is a little more involved than I thought. Every night we have something to do. Whether it's running to Lowes or meeting with a contractor or walking through the house, there is always something. Time-wise, it's demanding. On top of just time, it is crazy stressful. Thinking of every detail and trying to plan what we want, where we want it, in what color. The process has definitely taken a toll on me. Then there's the whole living with the in-laws thing, which is a whole 'nother post... but the combination of everything is making out for a for a very unsuccessful training attempt.

Oh, and on top of all that my foot is still jacked. Last week I resumed training and my achilles is definitely not fully healed. I ran just under 20 miles, total, last week and iced and stretched but it still gave me issues. I figured I could try to push through but then my voice of reason (i.e. Chris) says something along the lines of "right now you're pushing through just enough to not do serious damage but what if during the marathon you get hurt and get a big fat DID NOT FINISH!" Which is worse? By far, hands down, the DNF.

I want my first marathon to be a grand celebration, not just a few hours on a Saturday in the midst of a thousand other things going on.

So this is me swallowing my pride and doing what is right for me and my family right now. Honestly, it's a little bittersweet. This has been such a heavy load on my shoulders. While I am sad that I am not (atleast in 2011) completeting something I started that means a lot to me, I am relieved I can fully concentrate on this little home of ours (which I hear is kind of a big deal).

N

Coming on up

We knew the framing was in progress but honestly had no idea how quickly things would be happening. We went to the house Saturday night to find out we are so much farther than we thought possible. Framing started last week Monday, so here's a weeks worth of work...

Side-loading garage and upstairs hall window

Looking out garage

Stairway to heaven...or, upstairs

Fireplace and built-ins

Looking out the slider into our backyard

We are pretty excited :)

House update!

The house is coming up pretty fast. Concrete has been poured and the framing is in progress. Of course it apparently is also hurricane season here in Lansing as we have been having monsoon rains. Apparently, we're having a pond in our backyard, too...

That will be great for the boys. Wet, muddy, stinky dogs in new house...awesome, no? Stupid rain, go away. Normally I love rain, but that's enough, really, knock it off.

I'm telling myself big storms are a token of good luck when building your home, kind of like rain on your wedding day. I say this because our friends Josh and Candi who are also buidling endured some pretty heavy rain during their framing and everything else has been smooth sailing ever since and their house is looking beautiful. First stages of denial? Perhaps.

Here are a couple more of the framing. Here you are seeing the front of the house. Front door, little entryway window and living room window.

And a direct frontal ;)

I love the backdrop in this picture. It looks surreal :)

I have yet to personally see the framing but the boyfriend has. He gets to check things out while doing his community policing.

Playmakers is the DEVIL!

Just as I had previously thought before my lapse in judgement and bought a pair of shoes from them. They weren't willing to work with me at all and pretty much had a "tough luck" attitude towards the situation. They SUCK and I will be purchasing all running shoes from Gazelle in Grand Rapids from now on. I won't be buying anything from Playmakers and I encourage you all to do the same! (Yes, I realize the two people reading this live in Phoenix and Grand Rapids, so this doesn't even apply but still...)

Apparently everything on the house front has to be chosen by the end of next week so I have had zero running time this week. I plan to at least get in a long run this weekend, hopefully.

Back to it

Saturday 7/23 was my first day back to running. I still felt a little tightness in my left achilles area but figured/was hopeful that since I took off 20 WHOLE DAYS I would be good and strong. I ran these at the Y because I didn't want to run away from home then have awful pain a few miles out and end up having to limp my sorry bootay home.

I started out nice and slow, around an 11:00/mile. It felt good. I felt strong. I wasn't running at my normal pace but that's ok, I was just happy to be running again. I did 4 miles and called it good.

What I think the issue is is my shoes, again. My last shoes I ordered online and ended up ordering a size too small. This is what I think originally caused all my feet issues. With my next pair, my current ones, I went to our local running store Playmakers. He fitted me and we did the treadmill video analysis yada yada yada. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about so when he put me in a pair that fit a little loose he reassured me I wanted them to feel like that. Considering I put myself in way too small of shoes, I trusted him and went with it. Ended up purchasing them, a hundred buckaroos later. They're return policy is 30 days. Well, in those next 30 days I didn't get much running in and didn't get a chance to test them out properly. My bad. Since then, I have determined they are WAY TOO BIG and I think this is causing my current achilles pain. I even tried inserts and they still just don't feel right. I am going to Playmakers to try and work something out. I don't need to return them but a deal on new shoes might help. Let's see what kind of business Playmakers really is, and see how important customer satisfaction is to them. I will report back.

Last night I ran in my old brooks. These were the shoes that changed the running game for me. My first loves, if you will. They're filthy, worn out, and old but I love 'em. I felt like I was running on clouds. It was amazing how easy it felt. I think I am sticking to my trusted brooks from now on. We get each other, like not many couples do. For Dances with Dirt coming up in September I need a few pairs of shoes anyway, that helps soften the pain from spending yet more money on running STUFF.

House stuff is CRAZY right now and kind of stressful. Cement has been poured and framing is in process. Pics to come!

Ground Breaking News!

Approximately 8 minutes ago we broke ground! Yippee!! "We" is used loosely as Chris and I are clearly uncapable of such a task.