Waiting to park with the 40,000 other runners

Driving into the city

I'm full.

Mmmmmm carbs

Carb-loading

Heading to Chicago

Heading to Chicago!

Bejeweled.....

My duds for Sunday - this way everyoe can cheer me on. Bruce is
already embarrassed.

5 Days 14 hours 49 Minutes 17 Seconds Until Chicago
(as of this blog)

Ok - we are just six days until Bruce and I (and his dad - but he will finish long before us) run the marathon in Chicago. This is the third time I have signed up for the marathon and hopefully the first time I will finish. Between working in TV news and being well a natural born klutz - I have paid entrance fees, started training and well never finished the race. So let's hope that number three is a charm.

Now this question keeps coming up: "How far is the race?" So please for the moment let me get on high horse and say - a marathon is always 26.2 miles (or 42.195 Kilometers.) And has been 26.2 miles since 1924 - before that it varied by a mile or two. According to our friends at wikipedia. The event is named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. The legend states that he was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won.') before collapsing and dying. Which is well very possible for me on Sunday - however I have been training so let's hope that it is not probable.

Bruce and I will head to Chicago to not only run the marathon but celebrate my dad's 29th birthday and Megan's 19th birthday! Plus Robear and Heather are coming in from Lima to cheer us on. I am very lucky to have a built in cheering section in Chicago and two great friends that are willing to drive-in to cheer.

However, if you aren't coming to Chi-town - don't feel left out. You too can track my progress - electronically. You can sign-up online and the marathon will text or email you when I get to 4 locations on the route (one of which is the finish.) All you need is my bib number - which is 26822.

I will be running with Bruce - which has made this experience more rewarding no matter how well I do at the race on Sunday. We have had a great time running together all summer through Europe and back here in Michigan. So wish me luck - and when bring advil for the next time I see you because I have a feeling I might still be sore.

Follow Mizzou

16 - 13 MSU

Happiness that we won.

The Coles Family

Victory for MSU!

Hmmmm....

Maybe I should lay off the smarties!

Everyone loves the marching band.

Go Green!

Game Day

In East Lansing.

Waiting....

In line.

Karyn enjoying Homecoming

A Bag of Heaven

Mmmmmmm Smarties - my favorite treat - as of late.

Bruce and Robert enjoying iPhone air hockey at the Qudoba. We were lucky enough to be able to dine with him as he drove through on I-75.

Hanging Out with Ryan...

... before he departs to New Mexico.

Rockin' Pink

My October look for breast cancer awareness month.

My Trip to
Lansing Community College

TiVo Changed My Life Hits 500

This is year three of the blog and the 500th post. I wish that I had an amazing story to post - however I've been very busy since school started with getting class ready and running.

Two weeks from Sunday, Bruce and I head to Chicago to run the marathon. It's been a long time training - however - I hope that I am ready. I am sure that Bruce will be. I have up and downs in during training. I am just hoping that when the day comes - that it won't be 90 degrees and I will be able to finish under 5 hours. My goal is 4:45 - but I feel like having a goal is taboo - because it just leads to disappointment when you don't make it. And finishing should just be enough. But until then tomorrow - we have a 10 mile run.

Today - Bruce and I headed to Lansing Community College for some professional development. We are into the fourth week at school - it's been a very busy year. Without grad school I thought I would have lots and lots of free time. But I managed to find a way to spend my time.

Ironically tonight - I am finally catching up on some TiVo. I got caught up with ANTM. And now Bruce and I are watching the 2 hour Grey's Anatomy season premiere before we switch over to the presidential debate.

Danger Ranger 2

As you can see Bruce will do anything for hi-def tv.

Danger Ranger

Yup that's Bruce up there.

Busy, Busy....

It always seem that the first couple weeks back to school are busy and this year is no different. I have been juggling school and running (we are going to try to do our 20 miler this weekend, Ike rained us out last weekend.) The good news is I have teambuilding with my class tomorrow, so I finally have time to blog tonight. Tomorrow Bruce and I celebrate our 4th anniversary. Yes we have been the Happy Holladay's for four years. I looked back at my wedding pictures taken by the wonderful Maureen Monte. We were lucky we had a wonderful September day and it was wonderful to share the day with our friends and family. As most of you know - I am not always the easiest person to deal with Bruce dubs me as a type A+ (I am somewhat neurotic especially about making the bed.) I went shopping tonight at Kohl's and I hope Bruce appreciates his gifts which I will write more about after he gets home and opens them. I am so excited that I won't make him wait until tomorrow. Plus this way I can give them to him in the Kohl's bag and not have to wrap it. So happy anniversary hubby thanks for sticking it out for the 4 years!!!

A Girl's Dream

Tables of shoes at 85 percent off (not just any shoes expensive shoes
that are now super cheap.)

The Last of My 20's

This weekend, I have already began the birthday celebration! Friday, Bruce and Olive threw me a rockin' birthday party. I had a great time. It was at Small Plates in Royal Oak. A lot of people came a long way to wish my 20's goodbye. Robert and Heather traveled all the way from Ohio. (Thanks Guys!!!) Chris, Ann and Jeff came down from St. Clair County. While my Mom and Dad drove out from Manchester. Karyn made it a long way down from New Lothrop (which is just about an hour south of the Mackinac Bridge (and or in Saginaw County.) And of course my birthday regulars - Angie and Olive - who for the last couple years have always managed to find time to help me celebrate - thank you ladies. And we even had a surprise appearance by Jaime Kaye Walters (who is leaving soon for Europe and thought she wouldn't be able to make the event.) And of course a staple of every birthday for the last six years - the reappearance of the Cat Bag. I had a wonderful time. I really appreciate everyone who made it such a fun and special evening.

Here are some pictures from the big night:

Karyn, Heather & Robert.

Bruce and my very delicious cake.

Can you tell that I get a little excited about birthdays?

Oh yeah and no one thought it was a good idea for me to cut the cake when they saw the size of that knife.

Year six (and the 12th exchange) of the cat bag...

Jeff, Ann and I.

My birthday regulars - Olive and Angie. :)

I guess you could call these to the original birthday regulars.
My Dad, Mom and I.

Chris & I

Bruce, Chris and I

Yes on tomorrow, I will exit the 20's and turn 30. We all know that Sex and the City made the 30's the new 20's so really I am not going far. But I think a change like this makes you look back at the last ten years. I am not sure I did this at 20 because really when you are that age and in college it's all about 21. However, now that I am older (and I am gonna to say wiser, but that is always debatable) I am going to take a look back at the my 20's - because they hold a lot of firsts for me.

21: Graduation from College
21: Go to Europe (Austria, Slovenia & Germany)
21: Moved to the Big City.... (Kansas City)
21: First real job (with paycheck that could be used for things like rent.)
21: Leave "First Real Job" for better job
22: First marathon
22: Produce First Shows with Major News Story
23: Move back to Michigan
23: Job Three: Producer at WDIV
23: Met Bruce for the first time (and consequently started dating)
24: Go to Europe with Bruce (Germany & Italy)
25: Bought my "First House" in Berkley
25: Got engaged
25: Retired from Television
25: Started in PR at The Henry Ford
25: Became an Aunt
26: Got Married
26: Started Teaching
27: Bruce & I move to Attica
27: Became an Aunt Again
28: Apply for Graduate School & Got in
28: Started Graduate School
28: Win G. Love's Biggest Fan Contest!!!
28: Head to Europe For School & Meet the 7:11 Crew
29: Head back to Europe in the Spring (Czech Republic, Bratislava & Austria)
29: Attend Sex in the City Premiere and after party in NYC with Mary.
29: Head back to Europe to finish Grad Program (Germany, France, Switzerland & England)
29: Graduate from Grad School

So looking back it's been a very eventful decade. I feel like I am in a really good place right now. Despite requesting that I get botox for my birthday and as of right now there is no signs that anyone has purchased a gift certificate for me. So I will head into my thirties with my wrinkles that are only bound to grow.

But here is a really cool thing my dad did for my birthday besides getting me a card that plays the perfect song for me to dance the robot and a Tim Horton's gift card. He scanned in all of the pictures he had from my birthdays growing up. It maybe the best present I have received. Thanks Dad!!!

Food Coma

My food coma.

Food Coma

Bruce in his Frankenmuth food coma.

ANTM Cycle 11 Starts Tonight

Yes ladies and gentlemen - I said tonight. I am sure you are all in front of your televisions with your TiVo's set to go. This season of ANTM is sure to be interesting - why do you ask? Well they have added a twist - no it's not the girl that decides to tell her family that she is a lesbian or thinks she may be one on national television or the Ivy Leaguer who thinks she maybe too pretty to be a model, this year it's a transgender model. Yes - one model who was born a boy. This my friends is ANTM gold. My only worry right now is that my satellite is out due to the storm - so I may have to watch the encore on Sunday night.

As for judges this year - Paulina's back. I must say that I miss Twiggy. She was much more likeable. Paulina is not quite an Angie Dickison but she's also not that entertaining. Good news here on the television front - the satellite is back. Yeah.

Also I missed the first show, but this season the CW is also premiering a new version of 90210. I plan to watch the encore tomorrow night!!! The rest of my shows are back at the end of September, this should give me a good opportunity to rebuild my relationship with TiVo and work up my television endurance.

This has been an exhausting week. We are back at school with students - and that requires me to be "on" for two 2.5 hour class periods. Which isn't that bad in general, but it is exhausting the first week. So I plan on watching this episode (hopefully if the satellite cooporates) and then heading to bed.

As of 7:40 pm - the satellite went out again - so who knows what that means for my big evening plans.