Olivia Eileen

So, we are officially MOVING! After praying and seriously weighing all the pros and cons we took the plunge. We found THE house last Tuesday, signed the lease, paid the deposit, and are in the process of packing up all of our belongings....................which is going faster than ever....................but is still.................a very..................long.............................process! The goal is to be moved into our new house this weekend! I am SO excited. And I have been non stop packing since we signed our lease last Tuesday, thus falling off techno world! But, redeeming thing about all this packing, I found a bike trainer I thought we gave away! No more interval workout excuses. My butt will be in the saddle doing intervals during nap times starting next week. Ironman Louisville is still very much on the radar. Awesome back story to finding THE house...two Sunday nights ago I was up searching the web again for rentals. Up late because I was nervous about the house we

So, we are officially MOVING! After praying and seriously weighing all the pros and cons we took the plunge. We found THE house last Tuesday, signed the lease, paid the deposit, and are in the process of packing up all of our belongings....................which is going faster than ever....................but is still.................a very..................long.............................process! The goal is to be moved into our new house this weekend! I am SO excited. And I have been non stop packing since we signed our lease last Tuesday, thus falling off techno world! But, redeeming thing about all this packing, I found a bike trainer I thought we gave away! No more interval workout excuses. My butt will be in the saddle doing intervals during nap times starting next week. Ironman Louisville is still very much on the radar. Awesome back story to finding THE house...two Sunday nights ago I was up searching the web again for rentals. Up late because I was nervous about the house

It's been a bit nutso around my house as we prepare to move, but I read this devotional in my email tonight and felt compelled to share it, word for word... Worst Day of the Year I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  Habakkuk 3:18 If you woke up feeling especially blah this morning, you're in good company. January 24 is now officially "the most depressing day of the year."  Those are the findings of Dr. Cliff Arnall, an English psychologist who specializes in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff in Wales. His formula for analyzing such things includes seven variables--the weather, personal debt, monthly salary and even the amount of time since Christmas, among other things--that determine people's feelings of happiness.  He figures January 24 is when credit-card bills start rolling in, reminding us how we got carried away again with our holiday spending. By now many of our New Year's resolutions have fallen by t

It's been a bit nutso around my house as we prepare to move, but I read this devotional in my email tonight and felt compelled to share it, word for word... Worst Day of the Year I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  Habakkuk 3:18 If you woke up feeling especially blah this morning, you're in good company. January 24 is now officially "the most depressing day of the year."  Those are the findings of Dr. Cliff Arnall, an English psychologist who specializes in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff in Wales. His formula for analyzing such things includes seven variables--the weather, personal debt, monthly salary and even the amount of time since Christmas, among other things--that determine people's feelings of happiness.  He figures January 24 is when credit-card bills start rolling in, reminding us how we got carried away again with our holiday spending. By now many of our New Year's resolut

This is from the February 2012 issue of Parents Magazine "Baby Bloopers" section. I laughed out loud, so I had to share what this Las Vegas, Nevada mom shared about her son, Hayden who is three... My son, Hayden, loves to hop like a frog.    I asked him, "What do frogs hop on?"   He replied, ... ... ... ... ... ...  "iPads." :) Olivia

This is from the February 2012 issue of Parents Magazine "Baby Bloopers" section. I laughed out loud, so I had to share what this Las Vegas, Nevada mom shared about her son, Hayden who is three...

Having a baby changes everything. But, you don't realize it changes everything until you have your very own! As I am learning to roll with the frequent spontaneity and inconsistency of the military lifestyle I am also learning how to use my time more wisely and effectively as a wife, mom, and athlete. Otherwise, I'd probably be pretty frazzled and grumpy all of the time. Two of my favorite, already owned, time savers are the door frame pull up bar we've owned for a long time and our new Vitamix Blender! If you don't have either, consider the following my recommendation for you to put this on your next birthday or Christmas wish list! What are your favorite in-home time savers?! Tell me your in-home time savers or solutions in the comment section below! For the longest time I was intimidated by pull ups (and still am to a degree). And now that we have a baby, I initially complained ( often ) about not being able to weight lift anymore for lack of childcare or proximity t

Having a baby changes everything. But, you don't realize it changes everything until you have your very own! As I am learning to roll with the frequent spontaneity and inconsistency of the military lifestyle I am also learning how to use my time more wisely and effectively as a wife, mom, and athlete. Otherwise, I'd probably be pretty frazzled and grumpy all of the time. Two of my favorite, already owned, time savers are the door frame pull up bar we've owned for a long time and our new Vitamix Blender! If you don't have either, consider the following my recommendation for you to put this on your next birthday or Christmas wish list! What are your favorite in-home time savers?! Tell me your in-home time savers or solutions in the comment section below!

Yesterday I spent my time trying to find hourly child care for our almost 17 month old, just a few times a week, so I could swim/bike/run without a 24+ pound baby in tow (well, during the swim I would be worrying about whether or not she was vying for my attention in the jogger, pool side, not pulling her in a raft!). I, unfortunately, discovered that where we live in the Fort Bragg, North Carolina area is No-Mans-Land for hourly child care. Well, hourly child care that would allow me to pack my daughters lunch. When sugar bean was nursing it was easy to drop her off at the hourly child care center on Fort Bragg because they were REQUIRED to feed her the pumped breast milk I supplied.  Now, she's older and eating table food, so she's required to eat whatever they serve-unless a doctor has signed off that she has an allergy/intolerance, which she doesn't. So, the only way to take advantage of the $4/hour child care on post is to throw our chosen daughter's nutrition out

Yesterday I spent my time trying to find hourly child care for our almost 17 month old, just a few times a week, so I could swim/bike/run without a 24+ pound baby in tow (well, during the swim I would be worrying about whether or not she was vying for my attention in the jogger, pool side, not pulling her in a raft!). I, unfortunately, discovered that where we live in the Fort Bragg, North Carolina area is No-Mans-Land for hourly child care. Well, hourly child care that would allow me to pack my daughters lunch. When sugar bean was nursing it was easy to drop her off at the hourly child care center on Fort Bragg because they were REQUIRED to feed her the pumped breast milk I supplied.  Now, she's older and eating table food, so she's required to eat whatever they serve-unless a doctor has signed off that she has an allergy/intolerance, which she doesn't. So, the only way to take advantage of the $4/hour child care on post is to throw our chosen daughter's nutritio

This song brings our hearts great hope and peace and sums up where our hope currently lies at the dawn of a deployment. Olivia

This song brings our hearts great hope and peace and sums up where our hope currently lies at the dawn of a deployment. Olivia

Welcome to Ironwoman31! It's a new year and it's time for a new you, right?! Right. The only problem with new years resolutions this year for me is that I have two very specific goals and desires that have been scribbled down on scrap paper since high school, just waiting to be achieved! So, my resolution this year is to pursue these particular two goals with as much grace and diligence as possible... Thus, the rebirth of my many inconsistent attempts at blogging! Thanks to my friend JG over at Me and My SoldierMan I've started this blog out on a different foot: WITH a bit of DIRECTION . :) Goal #1 has always been to be an Ironman Champion . Now, since I have a 16 month old baby girl and my husband is deploying (very) soon I'm revamping this to Ironman Finisher for this season. But, I do plan on hiring a coach so I can see what performing at my full potential looks like. Goal #2 has always been to inspire others.  Since I am a new mommy, military spouse, and a he

Welcome to Ironwoman31! It's a new year and it's time for a new you, right?! Right. The only problem with new years resolutions this year for me is that I have two very specific goals and desires that have been scribbled down on scrap paper since high school, just waiting to be achieved! So, my resolution this year is to pursue these particular two goals with as much grace and diligence as possible... Thus, the rebirth of my many inconsistent attempts at blogging! Thanks to my friend JG over at Me and My SoldierMan I've started this blog out on a different foot: WITH a bit of DIRECTION . :) Goal #1 has always been to be an Ironman Champion . Now, since I have a 16 month old baby girl and my husband is deploying (very) soon I'm revamping this to Ironman Finisher for this season. But, I do plan on hiring a coach so I can see what performing at my full potential looks like. Goal #2 has always been to inspire others.  Since I am a new mommy, military spo

This past Saturday my husband and I went out for a planned 10 mile run. Whether you have experience running 1 mile or 50 miles, I know you'll agree when I tell you that I knew within the first 30 seconds how this run was going to feel. It wasn't a good feeling either. But, I wanted to be a good sport and run the 10 miles with my husband. I love running with my husband on the weekend, partially because he pushes our daughter for me! A welcomed relief! We stopped to stretch at our usual spot. And after I stretched I was feeling a bit better. We were keeping a good pace, 7:30 minute miles, until we hit the first major hill in our neighborhood. Then it was all down hill for the next 2 miles. I was trailing behind my husband. Frustrated with myself and slightly agitated by his encouraging, "come on darlin, you can do it" statements, I "thought" I couldn't pick up my pace. At this point we were poking along at about a 9:30 minute mile. Thankfully, my husband h

This past Saturday my husband and I went out for a planned 10 mile run. Whether you have experience running 1 mile or 50 miles, I know you'll agree when I tell you that I knew within the first 30 seconds how this run was going to feel. It wasn't a good feeling either. But, I wanted to be a good sport and run the 10 miles with my husband. I love running with my husband on the weekend, partially because he pushes our daughter for me! A welcomed relief! We stopped to stretch at our usual spot. And after I stretched I was feeling a bit better. We were keeping a good pace, 7:30 minute miles, until we hit the first major hill in our neighborhood. Then it was all down hill for the next 2 miles. I was trailing behind my husband. Frustrated with myself and slightly agitated by his encouraging, "come on darlin, you can do it" statements, I "thought" I couldn't pick up my pace. At this point we were poking along at about a 9:30 minute mile. Thankfully, my husband

My husband's first deployment is right around the corner. To say emotions have been up and down over the last three months is an understatement. There is much that comes with a deployment, besides the obvious long separation. On top of anticipating your loved one being in harms way for 9-12 months, there are many things the soldier has to prepare for himself and his family before he leaves... He has new equipment to be issued/organized/laundered. He also has a huge list of extra supplies to buy in order to be prepared and comfortable (new socks and ground coffee are two of my husbands "necessities":)). Then all of his stuff is shipped out in stages over the course of, about, three months prior to the actual departure. Seeing my husband for the first time in his new Multicam uniform was quite the tear jerker. The Army is retiring the ACU for the Multicam , which is currently only being worn by soldiers deploying overseas. Then there are all the financial and legal issues

My husband's first deployment is right around the corner. To say emotions have been up and down over the last three months is an understatement. There is much that comes with a deployment, besides the obvious long separation. On top of anticipating your loved one being in harms way for 9-12 months, there are many things the soldier has to prepare for himself and his family before he leaves... He has new equipment to be issued/organized/laundered. He also has a huge list of extra supplies to buy in order to be prepared and comfortable (new socks and ground coffee are two of my husbands "necessities":)). Then all of his stuff is shipped out in stages over the course of, about, three months prior to the actual departure. Seeing my husband for the first time in his new Multicam uniform was quite the tear jerker. The Army is retiring the ACU for the Multicam , which is currently only being worn by soldiers deploying overseas.