Fancy Feet

I'm feeling a little euphoric today. I went on a RUN! Yes! I RAN! What's the big deal, right? Well...I haven't run for many years because I have trouble with my knees. I was an athlete in high school and whenever I was on a "work out kick" after I graduated, I would run the treadmill at the club. Somewhere in there, the knee pain started. It disappeared miraculously during my military basic training, but then it reappeared. I went to a physical therapist, tried shoe inserts, exercises, etc. But, the pain still held me back.

I've always had a high metabolism and haven't had to work too hard to stay at a healthy weight. I do work hard on eating really clean, but any form of regular exercise routine has been lacking since Matt and I got married 10 years ago. I've always wanted to start again...and I've admired friends who gain such joy from running (...a big shout out to my girl Heather...who just signed up for her second marathon! Woot!). Running seems so great for me because it's a "portable" sport and a simple way to stay healthy! Perfect for someone who is living in a small space without much room to exercise indoors.

I read somewhere that people were having good results running in Vibram FiveFinger shoes (the "barefoot alternative)...even those with knee/hip pain. I was thrilled and ordered some "Sprints" from REI immediately. After trying a couple different sizes, I finally settled into my very own pair of "gecko feet", as my friend Christine calls them. They are different....but good. The reason they are supposed to be better is because your foot strikes the ground differently when you run in them...they strike mid-foot instead of heel first. This apparently lessens the impact on your body...and that's about all the technical stuff I know about them.

I love being able to really feel the ground under my feet. I've always enjoyed going barefoot...but barefoot can hurt!! Yes, I have wimpy feet. This way, I can have the best of both worlds (I can't write that phrase without singing Hannah Montana). I've been wearing them around during the day as well...not just for running. I can definitely see more of these in my future. The Classic version is so cute. Oh, and this purple pair...you know I love purple.

I've heard people talk about the Couch to 5K program for a long time, but I never paid much attention. "I'm not a runner", I thought. But now, I'm on board with it! It seems like a perfect way to start back into a routine. I've even downloaded the iPhone C25K app.  On my days off, I plan on doing yoga and resistance exercises. This morning I set out on my first run...through the back country of Texas. The wildflowers were beautiful, the horses abundant, and the sunshine warm. The only thing about running out here is that people let their dogs roam free-range style. A very large white dog (resembling a horse) ran right up to me and freaked me out for a second. Luckily, he wasn't hungry and he let me live another day.

I flew through the workout with very little pain and moments of great happiness. I'm sure I got a few weird looks from passersby as I belted out Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, and Elton John. But I loved every minute. And now that I've told you all of this, I'm obligated to stick to it. Maybe someday, I might even run a 5K race!

I've started a DailyMile account...is anyone else on there? If so, be my friend! :) I love any type of tracking program...it keeps me motivated. I'm also trying out the Two Hundred Squats program for iPhone as well. I'm gettin' serious now! :)

I would love to hear about your experiences with the C25K program...and any thoughts you might have on running. I need all the encouragement I can get...Run, Sara, Run! :)

Beauty in the Details - Etsy Sale!

It's spring! I'm happy! So I'm having a Buy One, Get One sale on everything in my Etsy shop. Check out the new travel photography...but don't miss the old favorites, like this one:

And this one:

When purchasing, just add one to your cart and then tell me which one you would like as your second print in the comments (the free item should of equal or lesser value). If you see one that says "sold out"...let me know (I just need to re-list it).  Sales ends this Sunday, March 28.

Have a GREAT weekend!

The 12 Project ::: Month 2

This photo was taken a few days ago at The Tree of Life in Patagonia, AZ.

Happenings in Month 2: This past month has been one of inspiration, learning, healing, and laughter.

We were in Las Vegas for over 3 weeks, completing the veggie system for Tara + family from The Organic Sister. We LOVED our time there, and drew so much inspiration from the fellow unschoolers that we met. I'm planning a post about unschooling soon!

We visited so many different places and learned many new things. Check out our Happy Janssens blog for details.

I've been trying to heal my body after working too many late nights. It's been a crazy month for me...getting the new blog launched, working my "real jobs", and being a mama/wife. I've had a lot on my plate and it's catching up with me. I've been drinking and eating more and more greens and I'm starting to feel like I'm on the mend. Although, as I look at the clock right now, it says 1:45 a.m. Ack! In the coming month, I need more sleep, more Jesus, more yoga, more vitamins!

Matt had his 32nd birthday on February 21! We enjoyed celebrating with a pancake breakfast and a surprise delivery of Starbucks. He is an amazing father...so patient and loving with Bella and Lucy (and me too!). Love love love him.

The girls keep us laughing ALL DAY. Bella is so animated and loves to make up silly songs while we're driving. At bedtime, we review our favorite 2 things of the day and then talk about what we are going to do tomorrow. Lately, she has been wanting to sleep on the floor in the living room or on the couch. She and Daddy usually fall asleep while I keep working into the night. She loves writing letters and making art. She rarely plays with the toys in her toy box...she much prefers to play outside in the rocks/dirt. She loves to build cities and rivers. She is growing up to be such a smart and funny young lady...with a tender heart and fiery attitude.

Lucy's 3rd tooth just popped through a few days ago...she has 2 on the bottom and one on the top. It looks like the other one on the top is about to come in as well. She can pull herself up to standing now and is quite the little explorer. EVERYTHING goes in her mouth...including a few tastes of "real" food. She has tried avocado, banana, broccoli, sweet potato, apple, and mango. She thinks it's quite exciting, but never keeps much in her mouth. She says "Da-da" and "Ma-ma" and according to Bella, she says "Bella" too. :) Oh, and I can't forget "Na Na Na Na"...which translates as "I'm hungry / thirsty / tired / happy / sad / scared / hurt ... and you should nurse me now". We are all head over heels in love with her.

Tomorrow we head to Austin, TX to be with my sister and her hubby who are flying in from Minneapolis. We're super excited to spend time with them...and it looks like the weather is going to cooperate! After that, we are looking forward to staying in one place for awhile as we camp with friends southeast of Austin.

Bring on the sunshine!