This and that........

Sorry for the hiatus, still licking my wounds from Sunday but also still basking my my success! I'm supposed to run on November 15th in another 10K but it is looking like that will not happen as my foot is really giving me some problems. So I think it is just best I let it heal.

Headed to Nashville today for a dinner then back tomorrow for Halloween! The kids are so excited about their costumes and I am hoping I can pull off mine. (I'm gonna keep you guessing on that one) I have been a bit of a slacker this Halloween season, I didn't get a chance to carve my pumpkins all the decorations are up but no scary pumpkins. Time has just gotten away from me.

This weekend nothing big planned, except the talk with my mom about Thanksgiving. Last year she didn't come to our house which is the only reason we stay home for Thanksgiving and don't go to Dan's parents, well this year I need to tell her that we are going to NY and I am not sure how that conversation is going to go. I am so dreading that.

Nothing new to write about so hopefully I have some new blog fodder over the weekend. Enjoy !

Marine Corps Marathon 10K .....I did it!!!!!

Yes, I finished my first (and not my last) 10K wow was that exciting! I was shooting for a time of 60 min but I turned in a respectable time of 1:07.04. That means I was maintaining a 10:55 pace not the 10 min pace I was looking for but I will take it. Not too bad for a first timer at that distance. The last 3/4 of a mile was brutal, I think these marines are sadistic, the entire last 3/4 of a mile was uphill !!!!!!

It was an emotional event as there were numerous people running in memory of a family member, loved, one or simply a friend they had lost in this war. Seeing the T-shirts with pictures of these young men and women made we want to run even harder as I felt in some ways I was running for them since they fought for me. I am so sore today but it was all worth it. Below are some pictures from race day hope you enjoy!

The race is a day away!

I am back from my business trip (more on that in another post) and now I am more nervous then ever about the 10k I am doing tomorrow. See today I went to pick up my race packet and man you talk about intimidation! First I feel like a schmuck because I am only running a 10K and these people are running a freaking marathon. Second there are Marines everywhere, I don't know why but it is a bit intimidating and it shouldn't be because my husband is a LTC in the Army so I know military life! :)

The weather looks like it will cooperate I type that while trying to cross my fingers because they are calling for a nasty day today but then again they were calling for it yesterdays too and it never came to be. Hopefully they aren't a day behind in their forecasting.

So at this point I am trying to stay clam and focused get all my stuff together, I have also threaten my husband that if he isn't at the finish line there will be you know what to pay!!!

OK I am off to Saturday Soccer! I'll report back late tomorrow. Have a great weekend!

I am starting to get nervous........

Why you might ask? well I took on this challenge to run in my first 10k and I have been pretty good about training but I am worried that I will turn in a horrible time and the people who have been cheering me on will be disappointed. Sunday is the Marine Corp 10K which will be run the same time as the Marine Corp marathon. Truth be told I feel a bit whimpy for not trying to do the marathon too.

I will run one more time before Sunday's race hopefully I can get the run in on Wednesday before I take off on business travel.

Saturday I have decided to kick my husband out of the house to go play cards so I can get a good nights sleep and try to relax. The sitter is coming over at 6: 30am on Sunday so hubs can drive me down to the Pentagon parkign lot and hold my hand till race time. My dear friend Magin will hopefully make it and be able to take some great pictures of the day so I can remember my first 10K ever.

I am sure I will post more as the day gets closer sorry for droning on but for those of you who really know me, you know I hate to do anything half assed I am all about giving anything I do a 150% which I have found can be a bit draining sometimes.

And the winner of the breast cancer giveaway is............

Laski Gal Thank you all so much for participating and sharing your stories!

Enjoy your Bath and Body Work this Cancer Vixen Kit!

Happy Blog Anniversary to me, Happy Blog Anniversary to me

Happy Blog Anniversary The Daily Grind

Happy Blog Anniversary to me!

A year ago today I started this little blog and I must say now I am happy that I did, I have met some amazing women, gotten some wonderful ideas, won some fabo stuff and received some out of this world gifts.

So thank you to all that keep up with my crazy life, I love you all and I hope you enjoy keeping up with me as much as I enjoy keeping up with you!

The Jerk Part 2

So my ever so jerky co worker is up to his same old tricks. Last week as you know I was in Williamsburg for some much needed retail therapy. While waiting for my mom as she shopped I was checking my email messages via my blackberry. I felt I was being very efficient responded to things I could, so I would not be behind when I returned to work on Thursday. At one point I saw several emails from "The Jerk" as I opened them I realized some of them were meeting requests in addition to our 2 other meetings. See once a week I have a status meeting with the team to discuss issues and update status from the various areas. Unfortunately the CEO called a 2009 budget meeting which trumped my standing meeting so not only did I decline a meeting that "The Jerk" requested because my day was booked already I also canceled the standing meeting due to the CEO budget meeting. Are you following me so far???? I was not the only one to decline his proposed meetings it seems because about 10 minutes after I declined I received the email below:

All
OK - I continue to get push back about meetings when I am only trying to set up one meeting a week.
Steve, I'm still not sure when you are available since I don't have your calendar. Is that something I need to ask you about every time I want to set up a meeting?
Stephanie, your calendar dictates when I can get a group together because you are in and out of the office and meetings tend to pile up on days you are here.

We scheduled weekly update meetings but haven't actually held them. The latest one was for tomorrow and was quickly pulled when a conflict came up and not rescheduled (and that conflict got moved 5 minutes later). Those aren't my meetings and I don’t control the agenda so I'm not sure what the standing format is because we haven't actually had them… I see this entire week passing by with no meetings to resolve open issue on the life products at a time when that is one of the critical issues on the timeline. I can continue to throw things out via e-mail and try to get a consensus but that doesn't seem like the best way to do things. I could stand in doorways every day and gather each team member's opinions on things and majority wins but that seems like a lot of running around.

Please enlighten me on how things get done around here so I can get on board and move things along effectively. I am open to suggestions but we need to get this stuff taken care of. Thank you for your valuable input.

I was irritated to say the least! So I not being in the office did the best I could with the situation that was presented ...I sent an email back which I copied to his boss as well as mine Oh and if you are still with me his boss reports to my boss so essentially his boss and I are equals.

Jerk,

I would prefer to have this conversation in person however since I am out today this will have to do. You are correct that tomorrows meeting was canceled then the meeting that trumped it was rescheduled. Quite honestly I forgot to put it back on the calendar after the reschedule. However since then it has come to my attention that the budget documents for that meeting have not yet been finalized therefore that time may be needed in order to make final revisions. In light of your email I assume there are pressing matters that must be addressed therefore I will forgo that time to have the standing meeting as scheduled. We have the 16th meeting as planned and the 23rd will need to be made up maybe on the 24th since I and Steve are at a TPA off site. Tomorrow I would like to have some face to face time with you prior to our meeting to further discuss this email. I will be in the office by 8 am or earlier. SBW

This spineless jerk not only didn't come at his usually break of dawn time so we could talk, he came minutes before a meeting that was called by my boss to address his email. My boss informed him that if he continued to send snippy emails there would be repercussions and then further went on to say that I and I alone would be presenting to the CEO in the budget meeting later that afternoon and he should speak only when spoken to and from now on direction was to come from me not him! It was all I could do not to pee my pants from internal laughter. Needless to say I have not seen anymore snippy emails.

A little of this and a little of that

Well, as promised here are my finds from last week. I finally got them unpacked and put away during the long weekend. Which really wasn't very long at all. I will fill you in!!! But first the LOOT!!!

Goodies not only for us but for my book club friends

Shoes because I love comfy shoes

I am a huge huge Yankee candle fan!

So I popped into the Yankee candle outlet and splurged!!

The kids needed some new duds I think I did good!

So all last week we had our old Au pair here to visit from New Zealand, the kids had a blast and it was good to see her and catch up. However there was some territorial issues between the old and the new, seems that Celia was not to pleased to have Abby here and Abby was none to impressed with the way Celia handles the kids. Either way you slice it not a fun situation. I will post more about it in a post all it's own.

Once we got Abby safely on her way the Whalen Inn welcomed another set of guests my in-laws, again the kids were happy to see them as were the grandparents to see the kids.

Sunday I went for my last long training run before the 10K I plan to run on the 26th of this month. I took, at Nap Warden's suggestion, an ice bath after my run and I must say it did make recovery much better. Yet I did seem to do a lot of sleeping on Sunday.

Monday was errand and get ready for the week day since we were all off and my in laws were still with us. I was able to get the treasures put away and all the laundry done as well as the 100 other household things that seem to creep up. I also got some pumpkins and a hay to decorate the front stoop. Again more to come on that.

Finally here I sit in a hotel room in Pensacola FL for work I will be here till tomorrow then back home in time for back to school night and 1st grade homework.

Basically it was just another world wind weekend in the house of Whalen. Now I am gong to take advantage of the peace and quiet and read all the blogs I have been missing out on the past week.


**** Tick Tock Tick Tock time is running out on my Breast Cancer giveaway so hurry up and enter!!!!

Shopping Glorious Shopping!

Ok so the 2 hour ride down was not bad, conversation and traffic flowed and before I knew it we were there. So at 9am the shopping began, I must say that this horrible economy has produced a number of extremely good deals, as retailers are desperate to sell stuff to you. Lucky for me this is an annual trip that I save for all year, so I had some money to spend, don't know that that will be the case next year but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

So here are my new everyday dishes! Are they cute or what??? I was able to pick up a set of 12 place settings for under $100 I was also able to pick up some new silverware as well.

So the day wore on, me in the stores shopping with my mom and every time I was ready to check out so was she and she was right on top of me while I did, with motherly sayings like, "did you use the coupon", "do you really think the kids will like that?" "wow that is a large bill" I was ready to choke her. When she is checking out I totally give her space, there is no sense in me being stuck to her like velcro. I think a big part of it is she wanted to know how much I spent. Why I am not sure maybe she is trying to figure out how much we make based on what we buy, who knows. Truthfully it's just plain annoying not to have some personal space.

Here were my treasures, I have been too tired to unpack them so I am looking forward to my long weekend to put everything away here are the store I patronized
Jones NY
Nine West
Carters
Children's Place
Jockey
Polo Factory Outlet
Geoffery Bean (they are going out of business did you know that?)
Bass
Peperidge Farm--- They sell Godiva there!!!!!!
Coach (I didn't buy I only went into smell the leather :)
And I am sure there are some others I missed.

So at 5pm we were back in the car headed home again, the drive was not so bad, a few comments here and there got under my skin like "Dan must be scared to death about getting out of the Army and into the "Real world" ......umm last time I checked the Army was pretty real world and it is a bit insulting to innuendo that someones 20 year in the military was not real world. I am sure my mom wouldn't like it if I said something to the fact of "well you know my job is much harder then yours was because you were only a secretary!" I swear sometimes I don't think she thinks at all before she speaks. Anyway I survived and came out with some GREAT bargain's as I unpack them I will be sure to take pictures and blog about it.

A little teaser..... the jerk at work has struck again but this time I think I truly showed him who was boss I will have more details to come next week.

Also if you haven't already don't forget to enter my Breast Cancer Giveaway!

Have a great LONG weekend, I will be by your blogs checking out what I have missed in the last week or so.

Retail Therapy here I come!

Hi, have you been wondering where I am...what no you haven't well I am hurt!!!!!

I did write a post this week about my awesome Favortie things box that arrived but I started the post back in late Sept. in anticipation and when I went back to finish it I didn't realize that when I posted it that it would post on the date I started the draft so here it is.


Today I am headed to Williamsburg, VA for some much needed retail therapy, I will be gone all day, hopefully I will come back with lots of treasures to share or at the very least a story about my mom since I will spend a whopping 4 hours in the car with her; surely there is a blog story or 2 there!


I'll be back!!!!

Breast Cancer Awareness Giveaway!

October is Breast Cancer awareness month! We have seen a lot in the news lately about young woman as well as older women being diagnosed with breast cancer. I had my own personal drama earlier this summer when my first ever mammogram came back with issues, I was encouraged to have more comprehensive testing done and was one of the lucky ones who received the good news that there was nothing to worry about at this time.
However that is not the case for 1 out of every 8 women in America.
So in order to encourage my fellow moms and blogger's, I have purchased from Bath and Body Work this Cancer Vixen Kit. I will draw a lucky winner on Oct 17th for the winner.




The Cancer Vixen Kit includes all-time favorite C.O. Bigelow formulas: Lemon Cream Body Wash (1.7 oz.), Lemon Body Cream (1.7 oz.), Mentha Lip Tint in Pink Mint (0.5 oz.), Mentha Foot Tingling Foot Cream (2 oz.), and Dr. Hiosous Quince Hand Lotion (2 oz.).

Ways to enter and earn bonus entries***

1) Leave a comment
2) Pick up my button to the right and post it on your blog and send me an emailletting me know you have posted the button. (earn a 2nd entry)
3) Write about your own story with breast cancer, it could be you, a friend, a coworker, a family member. Post your story on your blog and send me and email with the link. (earn a 3rd entry)

Email: swhln72 at gmail dot com

***The giveaway will end on Oct 17th 2008