2009 - Running Off the Chart!!

I DID IT!!!!! I reached my goal of 2600 miles TODAY - the final day of 2009!!

If you've been following along, you know I was close when we left for Indy - 57.6 miles to go. When we got back from Indy, I still had 57.6 miles to go - IN FOUR DAYS! Here's how I accomplished that:

Monday, after a week off I was a little sluggish, ran:

10.7 miles

Tuesday, kicked it up a notch and ran:

15 miles

I knew I still had a bit to go, so Tuesday afternoon I logged another:

6 miles

That left me with 25.9 miles in two days. Basically 2 half marathons. Normally after a long run (13 miles or more) I take the next day off. But instead, on Wednesday I ran:

13.6 miles

Leaving me with only 12.3 miles to go! Being a little nutty, I wanted to go slightly over, so this morning I ran:

13 miles

Bringing my total for the year to:

2600.7 miles!!!

Here's what my chart looked like on January 1st:




At the end of March, with one quarter under my belt. I was 11.7 miles behind my 2008 pace.




At the end of June, the halfway point! I was 52.7 miles behind my 2008 pace.




At the end of September, with only 3 months to go, I was 82.6 miles behind my 2008 pace.




At the end of October, I was 78.8 miles behind my 2008 pace, but I kicked it up a notch in November and was 78.3 miles AHEAD of my 2008 pace by the end of that month!




I knew I still had to work hard in December, especially with a week in Indy in the mix! But I did it!!!! So what about 2010? I only know this: I'm NOT running tomorrow!!

It's been a great year, not just because I reached my running goal. We've been healthy, Les has a wonderful job that he enjoys going to and God's blessings have been abundant!

Friday Foodie - 2009 Review

Well I made it an entire year trying new recipes. If you always try new recipes, good for you! In the past, if I tried one new thing a month I was doing good. So how many did I actually try? Well I had to go back and find out! Here are links to every recipe, starting with my first recipe in January:

Buddha Stir Fry
Baked Penne Pasta with Meatballs and Apple and Carrot Salad
Thai Peanut Noodle Bowl - this was the only recipe that we actually despised!!
Chicken Penne Alfredo
Crock Pot Lasagna
Hot 'n Beefy Stuffed Pepper
Potatoes Anna and Glazed Carrots
No Pudge Brownies and Red Potato and Green Bean Saute
Balsamic Chicken with Pears, Sweet Potato with Swiss Chard & Ricotta, and WW Pumpkin Muffins
Crescent Chicken Casserole - this is a favorite! Every time I make it, when Les walks in the door, he says, "Mmm... what smells so good?"
Rainbow Fruit Salad, Macadamia Nut Pesto Shrimp Pasta, and Pizza Soup
Shrimp and Pineapple Saute' and Orange Creamsicle Pie
Turkey Meatloaf
French Toast
Chicken and Dumplings
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars
Rosalie's Red Sauce with Meat and Italian Meatballs - it was a great day when I received my "Rosalie Serving Italian" cookbook!
Marinara Sauce and Fried Ravioli - I have made both of these numerous times. The Marinara Sauce is my favorite!
Beef and Noodles
Eggplant Rolatini
Skillet Cornbread
Spicy Pomegranate Baked Pears
Double Duchess Potatoes and Zesty Cranberry Relish
Turkey Salad

And my annual Christmas Baking edition! Not all the recipes were new (only 3), but I sure made plenty! Also threw in Sweet Potato Crunch in that post.

So my total count of new recipes? 39! Not quite one a week, but not too bad!

A Tribute to Sis. Nona Freeman

It was with a mix of joy and sadness that I read of the passing of a great Christian warrior - Sis. Nona Freeman. The following was written by her daughter:

Nona Freeman 1916-2009
Dear Friends of Nona Freeman:

We sorrow, yet rejoice to inform you of the earthly departure and heavenly arrival of our mother Nona E. Freeman 93 years old. She was a Jesus name Minister; Foreign Missionary; Daughter; Wife; Mother; Grandparent and beloved friend to millions around the world.

She took the 10:45 pm flight, Saturday, December 26, 2009 at our home in Fort Worth Texas. Take-off was smooth after 93 years of waiting on the run-way. There was often layovers at various terminals in her life but she never complained.

She began her Ministry in 1939. She spread the gospel of Jesus Christ for over 70 years as a Preacher; Speaker; Columnist, Evangelist and beloved author of more than twenty books. She preached and served as pastor’s wife throughout the U.S. and the continent of her burden, Africa.

Upon arrival she was greeted at her Heavenly Destination by Jesus then she was finally greeted by her spouse of 62 years; her beloved E.L. ‘Bug’ Freeman!

She was also greeted her daughter and our sister Marla, and not only a fellow minister but her beloved mother, Carrie Eastridge as well as a host of loved ones, the apostles and prophets of old.

Those left at the terminal upon her departure; daughter and travel companion Sandra Freeman of Fort Worth, Texas, daughters, Linda, Sharon, son Dale Freeman, several generations of grandchildren, siblings, family and a host of friends around the world.

The Home Going Service and Celebration of her life commonly called a ‘funeral’ will be announced Monday, December 28, 2009

The Nona Freeman family thanks you and asks for your prayers at this time.

Sandra Freeman/Nona Freeman Ministry

I never met her personally, but I have read some of her books and felt like I knew her! She was the kind of author who wrote from the heart and didn't cover her own shortcomings or failures. I had to pull out two of my favorites "Bug and Nona on the Go" and "The Adventures of Bug and Me" and reread them.

If there was one theme that carried throughout those books it was "trust." You might think a great missionary such as Sis. Freeman had it all down pat, but she was just like the rest of us - deciding every day to follow and trust.

Her life was not without struggles and her health was tested mightily. At one point she was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctor told her to go back to the States for treatment. With treatment she might live a year, without it he gave her about six months. That was in 1951!!!

The final words of "Bug and Nona on the Go" are:

This is "our" story
This is our song
Praising our Savior
All the day long!

And that is truly what made her great - she praised and prayed her way through a life of victory.

Home Again!

We had such a wonderful time in Indy. The weather was cold, but it was warm inside! Most of my pictures are on Les' laptop (my memory card filled up!) but I've got a few from Saturday. We went to Perry Park and ice skated! Claire and Hannah are both good skaters and I was done before they were!


Hannah thought a "train" would be a lot of fun... Uncle Les thought it was a lot of work!

Here is my wonderful sister-in-law, Monica. She is a gracious hostess and fabulous cook! There are quite a few recipes of hers that I will be trying. Since Les and Lance are so much alike, it's not a surprise that their wives enjoy each others company.


Claire took cooking lessons this Fall and treated us to apple crisp!


On our way to the airport it started snowing, but we were able to make our flight without any problems. Les is back to work and I'm working on a grocery list.

Snow!

This is what we woke up to this morning:




This has been the theme of our visit:

(It's that time of year when it's good to be fat and jolly.)

Back to running reality on Monday!

Merry Christmas!

Guest Blogger #2

And here's Claire!



CLAIRE'S PHOTOS

Hangin out.








Funny faces!








Playing Wii.








I can't wait until tommorow!



MERRY CHRISTMAS! from Claire


PS from Kathy: we're obviously having a wonderful Christmas time!! This is also my 500th post!

Guest blogger

Introducing Hannah!


Can't wait til Christmas. There's always so many presents!

Here's the tree in my room:


We decorated it with blue because we couldn't find pink.

Only two more days til Christmas. I'm happy my uncle Les is here.


And here is my aunt Kathy and me.


Here is our big tree.



Merry Christmas!

The Macs Have Landed!

Safely in Indy

In The Building

We've landed safely in Memphis.



I've never been so happy to get off an airplane. We sat behind an extemely undisciplined little girl who spent the final 30 minutes of our flight screaming "I want off this plane". We would have ALL happily obliged her.

Next stop - Indy!

Indiana Here We Come!

I finally downloaded an app for my iPhone so I can blog on the go. We're in line at LAX to go to Indiana to spend Christmas with Lance, Monica, Claire and Hannah.


Here is the weather forecast:


I don't know how I'll survive!! But we're looking forward to a great time. Who knows I may have a guest blogger or two.

Toys for Tots 2009

For the second year our church hosted a Toys for Tots giveaway yesterday morning. It is so fun! Take your favorite childhood Christmas morning memory, or memory of your children, multiply that by about 50 or 100 and you have the Toys for Tots presentation!

We had a packed house. We sang Christmas carols. Pastor White gave one of his trademark 20 minute masterpiece messages - "The Only Source of Peace." We then welcomed three U.S. Marines who were here to help with the gifts. One of the marines is shipping out soon to a place of conflict, so we took the time to not only thank them, but pray for him and others who are currently serving.


Then came the moment all the kids were waiting for - the presentation of gifts! Of course with over 100 children in attendance, the place was filled with excitement. A hush fell as the names were read. Each child was called up and received their gift directly from one of the marines. They then had to wait until everyone else received their gift before they could open theirs. As more and more children received their gifts, the volume and excitement increased! The wait was very difficult!! When the last name was called, our coordinator Sis. Tricia, counted to three (one... two... two and half...) and the ripping began! The gifts this year were amazing! Bicycles, cars, stuffed animals, video games. I was amazed to see American Girl dolls in abundance. I asked one of the Marines about the dolls - he said, "We hit up Hollywood!" I loved it!!


After a time of chaos, everyone made their way downstairs for a wonderful turkey dinner. Sis. Tricia was able to have the turkeys and some of the fixings donated by Ralphs. That was a great blessing! As I stood serving salad, I so enjoyed seeing the happy faces. We've heard a lot this year about the difficult economy and the meal probably meant more to the some than the gifts. I know no one left hungry unless they wanted to!

That was our final of three huge Sundays this month! Our Sunday school did a program on the 6th and our Music Department had its recital last week. Whew!! I think we're all a little worn out, but it has been a great month! Here's a slideshow of all three weeks. Enjoy!