Ouch!!

Today I got to work and not too long after got a call from the doctors office - never a good sign right? I am thinking omg! What has happened? NOPE...Max had his 18 month well baby visit with Dr. Brooks and I completely forgot about it! Oops...with all we have going on I don't know how we don't miss more. I decided I would just use my lunch hour to take him, no big deal. I got back to my work and putting out the daily fires. Oh and a co-worker and I thought it would be FUN to go ahead and sing up for a half marathon this fall...why not!?!?! We then had Fuji for lunch YUMMMM but no rice for me...just chicken. Still delish :) After getting stuck at a train we made it to the doctor. Max got all checked out and we got a great report!!! Tubes look good, development is perfect, and speech is improving! He is in the 47% for weight at 25.12 pounds (I swear he weighs more than just 25 pounds) 98% for height at 34.? Inches {forgot} and 81% for head circumference {don't know this one either sorry!!!} but we did have to get a shot....strange thing is my child doesn't care! He watches when he gets his blood taken and doesn't even flinch or make a peep for his shots which I find very strange? Anyone else's children do this? This was my first time taking him alone for shots because I didn't think I could do it but really it bothered me more than it did him. As a baby he was like this too and wouldn't cry as long as he had his bottle...which I thought was because he LOVED to eat! Any hoo we made it with no tears and a Spider-Man sticker to boot. 

After finishing up there it was nearly 3:30 (and I typically leave work at 4) so I figured it would be best to just pickup my computer and head back home with him to work. Well I had a mess waiting for me when I got back so Max hung out with me (well my amazing co-workers really) while I got my issue resolved. This is why I love the people I work with and have worked with in the past :) He colored, threw his ball (which was not work appropriate), and played with stress ball like cars that everyone had on their desks. On the way home we stopped by and saw Brad at work and headed home!  Max had dinner and a treat or what he thought was a treat. It was really an organic granola bar but seems chocolate and sugary to him! 

He hit the bed pretty early...maybe a little extra sleepy form the shots? 

After he was out I decided it was time! Time to get a work out in and stretch out my sore legs! I have a bachelorette party in Nashville this weekend and need to be able to MOVE!!! So excited for this :) 

Tonight it's yellow tail - a cheapie but it's what I have so it's what I love ;) Cheers!!!

xoxo 

-g-

Champs for the Champions!!!

Although I didn't really win anything and actually finished my half marathon around the same time the winner crossed the finish line - I am a champion! I finished and I am beyond proud {see all pics, posts, etc} and I don't feel one bit bad about it! It was a battle to get here and tonight I popped a bottle in celebration!!! Gotta do it right? In doing so I realized how classy this bottle looks and how unclassy I am because I drink everything but my reds with ice!!! So you put ice in your wine???

I immediately grab ice for my glass and pour!!! It just tastes so much better cold -ice cold! Disclaimer - I DON'T do this with beer though...that would be weird! Brad actually picked up this kind of Champagne and it's rather tasty!!! It is extra dry and like I said before "the more dry the better."

Of course in making a memory (like mother-in-law would say) I wrote on my cork and added it to the collection! Please note I have been doing this for a while now i not an alcoholic! I have a coll way to look back in this milestone in my life. I am seriously thinking about doing a Christmas tree and using all of my corks in some way - I can see this on Pinterest now...if not it's already there! 

Well so long for now as I enjoy my champs and maybe a little trash tv (guilty pleasure)! Perfect night!!! :) Cheers!!! xoxo

I just signed up to be a shoreline squad leader today so make sure u sign up and start running with this amazing support group!!! Less than a year ago I could barely run a mile and now I have done 26.2!!! If I can...YOU CAN!!!

Some TLC at the TLG

Some people may think I'm nuts...including my husband but we are venturing over to Springfield for Max's gymnastics class tonight and I can't wait! We get to spend some much needed time as a family and watch our little guy run around and have FUN!!! Brad recently opened up a car wash in Springfield, IL and while over there I found a Little Gym right next door!!! Ahhh cue music and skies opening up (ironic as it is poring down rain right now)!

I used to work at the Little Gym of Edwardsville while in college and it is seriously the best thing ever for little kids! It's fun for them, all while teaching cognitive development and motor skills! I loved teaching there more than anything and was thrilled when one opened somewhat close to us. I still know the songs and love seeing Max's face light up with excitement when we get there! He literally picks up something new at each class and last week it was walking backwards. I know I am a little nuts for driving 45 minutes for a class but hey your telling that to the girl that drives 2 hours to get her sons pictures taken! When you find a good thing sometimes it is just worth the drive and I will rant about my wonderful photographer at a later date because she is amazing too! If you have one in your area you should check it out...if not look for one close and check it out! I realize that one day I will be driving all over the place to sports games and etc. so why not start now?

I hope this class makes for a sleepy little boy and I can indulge in my celebratory bottle of champs when I get home!!! I finally feel up to having a glass today - a little sore but overall much better. Tomorrow I start working out again and trying out some new clean eating recipes. We have had an amazing start to 2014...why stop now?!?!?!

What is the craziest thing that you travel the distance for???

Is this REAL LIFE???

This weekend i had one of the most proud moments of my life and {YES} we are talking tears and everything!!! So like everyone else i am sure i made the crazy "new years resolution" to run a marathon...crazy right! All of my family told me that i was nuts and my husband thought "ya right!" So right before Christmas i signed up for the St. Jude Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN. My mom, some of my Mom's friends, Brad, Dylan (Brad's Cousin), and Larry (Brad's Uncle) all jumped on the bandwagon and decided to do the 1/2. We were all excited and ready to start training (it all sounds so good in the beginning...right???) I started doing some runs on my own and with the DRC (Decatur Running Club) but the winter was brutal and running in the snow was harder than i could have imagined. I felt like i had ten pound weights attached to my shoes, but the people i ran with pushed me and i made it! When February rolled around i knew i needed to get my allergies under control so like every year i went to my allergy doctor to get checked out (love her btw - if you need a good one let me know). I did the tests and she told me that i should really go on shots and that getting my nose fixed would make a huge difference.

allergy test - soooo itchy!!! 

 I had a buckled septum and needed surgery to get it repaired. So i went to my ENT doctor and got everything scheduled and had surgery on February 12th. I new this was going to keep me out of running for a bit but little did know that play time with my little man would cause me a huge set back. The Monday following my surgery i was playing with Max when he headbutted me right in the nose! OUCH...i could tasted the blood and it soon began pouring out of my newly fixed nose. I was freaking out and immediately called my doctor, who sent me over to x-rays the next day. Sure enough he had fractured my nose in a different spot from where they had to break it during surgery but it was not displaced and thankfully didn't require surgery!

post surgery and slightly out of it...obviously!!! 

So due to my injury i could not run for 3 more weeks. I finally got back to it the beginning of March and on my first run i had a nose bleed. I called the doctor and he said i could keep going but ease back into it. He didn't understand that i had less than 2 months to get up to 26.2 miles!!! Well i kept on training and truly couldn't have done it without the help of Max's Grandparents. If you have kids and are fortunate to live around your parents you know what i mean! They love him to death and were happy to keep him during my long runs. When i did have to take Max with me i just used our jogging stroller and trucked along! It is much harder to do but only makes you stronger right??? In case you were wondering i have a B.O.B. jogging stroller and LOVE it :) When i was prego and asked Brad's cousins who have kids what were the items that i could not live with out this stroller and the ergo baby carrier were at the top! When i went to buy one when i started out running i thought it was crazy to pay that much money for a stroller (they are expensive people) so i got a mid-priced one instead. NOT OK!!! Something you just have to suck it up and spend the money on and this is one of them. It is SOOOOOO much easier to push that the one that i had and super easy to load and unpack from the car.

Brad pushing Max at the Shoreline Classic

OK enough about the stroller...but seriously get one if you don't have one! So i continued my training and to be truthful only got up to 18 miles!!! A few weeks before the race Brad's uncle and cousin had to drop out and Brad (who hadn't been training at all) didn't know if he was even going to do it. I was in fear that i would have no one to run with and i wouldn't make it without their push to keep going so i got online and dropped down to the half.

looking rough after a long run in the COLD

I was bummed out but after all of that training i was pretty confident about the 13.1. So, i took off work Friday and we headed down to Nashville to pick up our race packets. When we got there Brad decided that he was going to do it because he thought he would be bored if he didn't (reminder again...he did not train for it) and i was like i'm switching to the full. I thought to myself why did you train all this time, go through all that pain, and travel to not accomplish your goal? So, i signed on the dotted line and picked up my race bib for the FULL Marathon!!!

Pickup packet 

I was scared out of my mind and could barely sleep that night! It was up and at um the next morning! We woke up at 5:30 grabbed some breakfast and headed to the staring line - thankfully one block from where we were staying. It was like nothing i had ever seen before. There were over 30,000 people there all lining up to start the race. Being that i am SLOW i was in the 19th group to get release from the starting line. So i didn't really even start until 45 minutes after the person that won the race. I met the nicest lady as i waited who was from Nashville and it was also her first time doing the FULL marathon. We exchanged stories and calmed each others nerves - then we jumped together right before the start and took off. There were people lining the streets with signs, bands playing, cheerleaders cheering, and DJ's screaming throughout. The croud was fantastic and everyone was super pumped that some many people were running for St. Jude! There were SOOO many HILLS it was nuts - i could have never prepared myself for that (and i thought the shoreline was bad -HA). By the time i reached the 13 mile mark i was feeling good and keeping my pace up - taking every water stop i could since it was over 80 degrees and sunny. 

When i got to mile 18 i was still feeling good, and surprising even myself. I was really going to make it!!! All of that enthusiasm came crashing down as we headed outside the city toward some park - it was a HUGE park! I began struggling as i hit mile 21 and was ready to throw in the towel!!! It think if turning around were an option i would have! I felt like i could black out any second as i was forcing GU down to keep me moving! Before my running watch died i remember seeing that i had burned over 3,000 calories...just to give you an idea of what i was running on!!! NOTHING - all the pasta and Chick-A-Filet from the day before was GONE! I was near a music stage and this lady offered me a bottle of cold water (i swear she was my running angel) and if it were not for getting those 12 oz of cold water (and more nasty gu) i think i would have been passed out! It was between 21-26 that all i could think about was the St. Jude children that i was running for. I was running for kids battling cancer for goodness sake - RUN!!! If they can fight cancer then i can fight to finish this race and when i saw the sign for 26 the tears began to flow!!! I knew there wasn't much left to run and that one of my biggest dreams/obstacles would be accomplished and i could check this off the bucket list! I saw the finish line and was looking desperately for my husband and family...of course i didn't see them in the sea of people but i ran hard and thew my hands up so proud of what i had just accomplished!!! I just FINISHED A FULL MARATHON 26.2 miles - that is CRAZY!!! I kissed my husband, hugged my family, and got my much deserved medal. I felt so horrible and so happy at the same time. I felt like i had a HUGE hangover and i had not even got my free beer yet? I got my knee wrapped in ice and sat down to re hydrate and take it all in. We showered and headed back home following the race because we feared how today would feel....and i feel like i have been hit by a bus :( I feel terrible now but will get to look back on this and share with my kids and grand kids one day. I ran a marathon a year and a half after having my first child - major accomplishment i think so! Pain is temporary right...that is what i keep telling myself! Tomorrow when i feel better i will be popping some CHAMPS to celebrate and of course noting it on my cork! Until next time... XOXO

this is for all of the St. Jude kids fighting for their life, my man Max, my amazing husband, & ME!!!

Running Products that I LOVE!!! 

http://www.hippierunner.com 

Comfortable running belt with lots of pockets and can hold race bib

Asics Gel Nimbus 15 Running shoes

I think these helped my knees a lot too! Also ran 26.2 and no blisters!

Zensha Compression Leg Sleeves 

help with knee pain :) 

Cheers to a New Blog!!!

So here i am back blogging, something i barely have time to do...so sorry if there are times where i FORGET! oops.... My first blog i ever did was through my pregnancy and first year with my little boy (Max) but have decided to jump back into it. I love being able to look back at everything our family has done over the course of the year and want to continue that! It is like a little story of our lives. So the title...the baby blog was easy right -- i mean Baby Oz {we were having a baby and our last name is Osborne} simple. This time i chose *Sipping Wine & Play Time* because of a few things... 1.) my day begins and ends with my little guy and as working mother we take in all of the play/together time that we can 2) this also refers to all of the crazy trips etc. that we take - just because we have a child doesn't mean we stop having FUN!!! 3.) I love me some WINE! Who doesn't right and nothing heals a bad day at the office like a glass of your favorite wine. I took my first overnight trip away from my son to go visit a few girlfriends from college in St. Louis and of course upon arrival we popped open some wine and caught up on our lives. Well my friend Samantha saved the corks and wrote on them - the date and something about that day etc. I fell in love with this idea and have been doing the same ever since i came home. So, like this blog those corks tell a story of all the things i have done over the course of the years! How cute right... thanks Samantha :) So CHEERS to keeping by story book going and the bottle popping!!! 

I am going to try and share what i am drinking so here goes: This is a Cab from the other night that i love - i picked this one up from Friar Tuck and i would defiantly buy it again. I am by no means a wine expert here nor will i ever be but i love to try new wines and will share what i think about them as i pick new bottles up!

Don't worry my husband and I just had the time of our lives running a marathon in Nashville so there is more to come! I just need to get up and stretch my aching body right now. I feel like i have been hit by a bus and will definitely be pouring myself a glass or two tonight!