Couch to 5K

Yes, you did read that title right. For those of you who know me I'm sure you are thinking that this must be a joke but I assure you it is for real. And in case that hasn't knocked your socks off yet, I am actually the one who came up with the idea. I convinced a friend of mine (Courtney) to do this adventure with me, partly because I want someone to run with and partly (mostly) because I need someone to run with to encourage me. For those of you who don't know I am not a runner. Let me tell you that again...

I AM NOT A RUNNER.

I never have been and honestly never thought I would be (although it is still safe to say that I am still not a runner). I'm not sure where this desire to do a 5K came from. My only guess is that is came directly from the Lord, trying to encourage His child to take care of the body He has given me. Part of me wants to do this to lose weight but really mostly I just want to be in better shape.

Couch to 5K is a training schedule/podcast that basically tells you when to run and when to walk (briskly). It's a 9 week training, three times a week that by the end of we should be ready to run a 5K. I'm being completely honest when I say that I'm pretty positive I could not finish a measly one mile with the shape I am in now. I'm going into this knowing that it is going to be tough,
I mean really tough but having Courtney there to run with me/encourage me (once a week) and my husband to run with me the other two days and encourage me when I want to quit (which will probably be every day).

Courtney and I are still trying to find an actual 5K to be a part of at the end of August but if we can't find one we are planning on making our own race where our husbands and friends will be at the mile markers cheering us on. Of course if you enter an actual race you get a t-shirt which is one of the thing that makes us excited about doing this so if we build our own race we will for sure be making t-shirts of our own to receive at the end of the race!

Anyway, I just wanted to fill you all in on something that I feel is pretty huge in my life and in case I write multiple times on here about wanting to quit I'm hoping I will receive encouragement from all of you to keep pressing on.

I LOVE GUNS - Contest

Field and Stream is Brett's favorite magazine and to his enjoyment it came in the mail again last week. When we get these magazines in the mail they often sit on the kitchen table for at least a week if not longer.

Anyway, in this months issue they are having a I LOVE GUNS - Contest with a rip out page that looks like this...

This has been hanging on our white board waiting for a great photo idea.

What you are supposed to do is go out and shoot the targets on the page at whatever distance you want and then take a creative picture with the target. Brett informed me that this is something we must do and that we must get very creative and take the best picture. The idea is to "shoot" with a gun and then "shoot" with a camera.

...and what does the best photo receive???

a Smith & Wesson M&P15 MOE rifle

Now maybe to you that means something but to me it's just a gun of some sort that my dear husband could win. Knowing the pure excitement that winning this gun would give him has caused me to rack my brain trying to think of something creative we could do...

...still not coming up with anything too creative I thought what better way than this...

...ask the readers

so to all you creative geniuses out there "shoot" me an idea!

128 Miles

Last night as my hubby and I were driving home from picking up Josiah at Grandma & Grandpa's house we marveled (yes, even I) at the large thunder head up ahead. I asked Brett if he thought it would head towards us this evening (I like to know so I can figure out about how much sleep I will get with a storm lurking in on us). He responded with a "I don't think so but we can check when we get home". As much as I hate and do not do well with storms I was rather enjoying watching this one as I felt safe with my hubby at my side and what seemed to be some distance between us and the storm. When we arrived at home, tucked in the little man, and checked weather.com we were both surprised to see that the lighting we were viewing in the distance was a whopping 128 miles away. I was shocked. I mean I knew it was not right over us but still one hundred and twenty eight miles away and we could still see it as if it were just over the hill! I was in awe of God's creation and in awe of South Dakota and its vast open spaces from which you can see literally hundreds of miles away. This would never be the case in MN at least not from what I can remember due to the beautiful trees filling it's beautiful state.

Finally an Update...

I know, I know, it's been well over the allotted blog posting time but I mostly blame it on the fact that it's summer which brings us outdoors a bit more leaving less time for the computer (probably a good thing). Anyway, I am updating and hoping to make it less of just updating and more of everyday life but I don't want to make any promises.

What we've been up to:

1. Planting...it's all done! Josiah and I spent many afternoons in the tractor with Brett. We only got kicked out once due to Josiah wanting to touch every button. :)

Brett filling the planter.

2. We spent a few days in Minnesota for a wedding and enjoying time with family and friends that we haven't seen for a year while they are back from Lithuania for a few months this summer.

Becky and EJ back from Lituania for a few months.

3. Bike rides. Most of the time Josiah enjoys them and when he doesn't it makes me push harder to get home faster.

4. Early, early mornings with the little man. Since MN he has decided that getting up between 5 and 5:30am is a reasonable time to get up...we are trying to do everything we can do change that.

5. Mr. Bob's. For those of you who don't know Mr. Bob's is a drive-in restaurant in Selby that is obviously only open for the summer so I feel as though I must get there as much as I can while I can.

6. Josiah recently turned 15 months old! He is now 23lbs! Loves to read books. He will go and get a book and bring it over to us for us to read, sometimes he lasts for one page other times he will make it through a whole Dr. Seuss book. He loves to play in the water. Thinks it's funny when he crawls on hard floors. Started walking around at about 13 1/2 months. Eats almost anything you give him although he does have a few texture issues. Along those lines, he can eat a full sandwich, full banana, and something to drink all in one sitting.

Eating cowboy hotdish...he went straight to the tub when he was done.

He loves to play outside. He is still shy to others but seems to slowly be coming out of that little by little. He loves to give kisses. He gives almost everyone huge teethy smiles as long as they don't get too close. He has 16 teeth.

A view at his many teeth.

He is completely attached to his blankie. He babbles all the time but still no actual words (the doctor says she is not concerned at this point which gives me a bit more comfort). He screams in frustration of not being able to communicate (which in turn makes us want to scream in frustration that he is screaming, but we don't). He loves to sit in any thing he can climb into.

Sitting in his favorite toy.

Sitting in his Mr. Potato Head container. He thinks this is really funny to do (and we laugh pretty hard ourselves)

7. Play dates. Enjoyable for both Josiah and myself.

Josiah and his buddy Liam at one of our pool play dates.

8. The Well. Brett and I and two of our close couples here started up an hour long worship hour (that we call, "The Well") once a month on the last Sunday of every month. It's been incredible to see God use this ministry to touch the lives of those around here. This also keeps us busy with practices, picking music, finding a speaker (we have someone do a 10 min. devotional), and all the other odds and ends it takes to put this together.

9. Mowing the lawn which seems endless.

I know this picture was in the last post but it's one of my favorite of my two favorite guys!

10. I was able to spend a day at the spa about a month ago with a close friend here who celebrated her 30th birthday.

Amber, picking out polish. This was my first time having my toes painted since high school.

11. Women's Bible study on Tuesday mornings. What a blessing that is. Thank you ladies.

12. Learning how to be parent. This isn't just since the last post but it seems to have really hit us hard lately.

13. I've had the privileged lately to get my photography business going a bit more and recently just did a 5 family photo shoot. This has kept me busy doing editing while the little man is napping.

One of the families from the shoot.

14. Spending time with good friends.

This picture is from this winter but it's the only picture of all four couples that I have. Guess I'll have to take another one soon.

Well, I know there is much more that I have not listed but with trying to keep this update somewhat short I will stop here.

Thought I would end with a picture of us from the wedding in MN...one of the few "happy" moments Josiah had on the whole trip.

May Picture Post

Playing with the rocks

Helping daddy put together the new mower.

Playing with the rocks...again.

He loves to have his shirt off

Playing in the grass waiting for daddy to pick us up in the tractor.

watching daddy work.

waiting to give daddy his lunch.

having fun in the car seat.

eating his favorite meal

playing with his cowboy hat.

South Dakota Living - 42 lessons

It's been a little over a year ago now since we moved from the big city of Peoria, IL to our small little country town in South Dakota. Here is a list of 42 things I've learned since becoming a resident to a small (and I mean small) South Dakota town.

1. A trip to Target or Walmart consists of a 90 mile trip one way and a full day gone.
2. Our local grocery store has 4 aisles (I didn't know that was even possible before I experienced it myself)
3. Everyone waves to everyone when you are driving whether you know them or not.
4. A cart at our local grocery store can just barely fit an infant car seat with no groceries. Not a big deal now that Josiah can sit in the cart by himself but not quite sure what I will do when and if we have another child.
5. Everyone expects that you will have a garden. Not a bad thing just something I've noticed.
6. You will meet very few people who do not do something in the line of farming or ranching.
7. Planning an event does not go well unless it is planned on a Sunday because there is no such thing as a 9 to 5 job out here.
8. The whistle blows at noon (literally! I thought it only happened in the movies)
9. Most local stores are closed at lunch time.
10. The bank seems to be open for an hour a day (not literally but every time I try and go it's closed already)
11. All stores really are closed on Sunday so if you need any groceries you better get them the day before.
12. You have to make sure to check the expiration date on food before you buy it at the local grocery store. I can't tell you how many times I've bought something only to find out when I get home that it is months over the sell date. Not joking I bought some pancake mix that was a year past the due date.
13. Living next to your in-laws in amazing! I seriously love it so much!
14. You still get your groceries bagged and carried out to your car.
15. It's the kind of place where people know who you are, and notice if they don't.
16. Your "neighbor" may very likely be someone who lives 6 miles from you.
17. This year's graduating class was 14.
18. You can rent a 3 bedroom country home with yard as far as your eyes can see for under 300 dollars.
19. People don't seem to retire. An 80+ year old is still fully capable of running a farm/ranch (Brett's grandparents are a perfect example)
20. You don't have to worry about your friends moving away...those who are here are usually here to stay. (unless you are a certain Dunlap friends that moved here with no intention of farming or ranching)
21. Opening hunting weekend is basically a holiday.
22. Seeing a rifle in an entry way is a normal occurrence.
23. Culture shock is not just for going overseas.
24. Getting stuck in traffic consists of being stuck behind a tractor going 10mph.
25. We still have drive-in theaters!
26. I've learned the true meaning of a "farmers tan"...getting ready to see one on my good-looking husband soon :)
27. Seeing a "real" cowboy is normal everyday life.
28. We bought our first pound of hamburger in over a year. Normally our freezers are always stocked with hamburger, steak, and soup bone...just waiting until another cow is ready to butcher.
29. A windy day brings on complete new meaning to me. (our garbage can and grill have been 50 yards away on a frequent basis.)
30. You burn your own garbage. I'm yet to see or hear of a garbage man.
31. Praying for rain brings on new meaning. Also, praying for it to stop raining we can get back in the fields.
32. My "neighbors" who live 6 miles are long distance to call.
33. Living without a dishwasher really is as bad as it sounds :)
34. Not only is it legal to shoot our state bird but it's a social event.
35. Tree's are few and far between out here.
36. You don't lock your car doors, heck you don't even take your keys out of the ignition.
37. A pick-up is a pick-up and a truck is a semi.
38. Most everyone owns at least one pick-up.
39. Advertised events are announced in both Central and Mountain Time.
40. Football consists of 9 players on the field. This is something I had never heard of.
41. Storms are really scary out here because you can see them from miles away.
42. It's impossible to keep your vehicle clean due to all the dirt roads.

Despite the images that might come into your head when you think of South Dakota...This land is beautiful and as my husband always says, "this land is God's hidden gem". Come out and visit and experience it for yourself, but don't say I didn't worn you on a few things :)

It's only been a little over a year that I have been a South Dakotan and I still have a lot to learn but I'm thankful that this is where God has taken our family. If you made it to the end of this post congratulations! Your award is a casual wave as we drive by each other!

Bumpers?

After much contemplation before Josiah was born we decided that we would put a bumper in his crib until he started to move around. My mother who so graciously helped me put together a bedding set pieced together a patchwork for Josiah's bumper pad. Long story short...we ended up taking the bumper out of his crib long before he was even moving (mostly because I was annoyed with it when it came to changing the crib sheets).

I feel I must add before I say anything else that my mother did a wonderful job at making the bedding. I choose an array of fabrics that posed for some difficulty in the completion of the project. And because of a few bad measurements and forgetful minds we had to sew a few parts on the bumper pretty tightly. Once again, long story short there are places in the bumper that are coming apart and could probably be easily torn apart and shredded by a little one year old boy who likes to break things when no one is looking :)

Anyway, this lack of a strongly put together bumper would not be an issue if it weren't for this...

I must admit that he started to cry about 20 min. before I was going up to go
to bed and I didn't think much of it because he is teething (yet again) and I
thought that was why he was crying.

This is a very regular occurrence with Josiah. This particular picture happens to be from last night when I went into his room before I went to bed to do my normal check on him and to put his blankets back on him. This then brings me back to my bumper or no bumper question for ya all. I know there is a lot of debate as to if there should be a bumper in a crib because it poses risk of suffocation. I've thought about the netted ones you can buy because they are then breathable but after checking into them they are very expensive (because it appears you have to purchase two sets in order for it to go around your whole crib which ends up being around 60 dollars). I'm not sure what to do but think I'm going to have to do something so we don't have a child stuck between the rails all the time. Any advice anyone?