half marathon training.

i have been training for a half marathon the past month. i have always loved running but training for a race is very new to me. i have only participated in a few 5Ks...
 i have really loved the training so far! my long runs have gone very well every week and i hope it stays that way the whole time :) and i have only experienced a few difficult days. the worst was this past thursday, i was just very tired but glad i ran anyway. really, i don't think i could miss a training no matter what. it would feel wrong.
at times i have felt bad about only running a half because i think i could run a full. at least, on a good day i think this. i am intimidated by the training and potential for knee issues. 
so for now, onward with the half! & i am going to be really proud april 26th!

because some days are hard.

i have a hard time working evenings my husband is home. especially sundays.
but today, i am choosing to be ok with it & be grateful it isn't more evenings...

i guess sometimes you just have to get the fixings for yummy sandwiches and leave them in the fridge. and that is good enough.

oh, and and buy some tulips.

be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won't have to hunt for happiness.-william e. gladstone

futuro house.

jonas surprised me and took me to cincinnati for the day. 

we visited ikea for something that was sold out. lame. and then to jungle jim's for their international food selections.

on the way, i showed jonas the futuro house in covington, ky. these houses were a fad in the 60s and 70s. so hideous to me, but neat. there were not very many made and not many left today. just one of those great american roadside spectacles.

days at home.

 

i was truly looking forward to this sunday. 

its so great to have a day focused on rejuvenating or the week ahead (even if i only get to do this every other weekend).

while i lived in germany, i had this raclette meal quite often. i would say it is typical for germany considering how many different people prepared the meal. basically, there are a ton of veggies, pasta, potatoes, meat and then raclette cheese to top it with. everyone has a little pan they place under a roaster after making their own little meal. it is very social meal & very delicious. we don't have a raclette roaster thing but we made a giant version in the oven topped with that lovely, stinky raclette cheese. i used to work in a fancy deli and cheese shop and i hated touching that cheese but i love the way it tastes. anyway, it was so fun to have some version of the meal. someday i am getting the machine used to make the real thing.

and yes, i took another selfie. i have been really into those lately but i loved my shoes and tights so much. i still felt festive for valentines day.

jonas and i played yahtzee. our version is spelled differently..i think we bought it last summer in germany? i love yahtzee or yatzy...i used to play it when i was a kid. for the record, jonas won 3 times. i won twice.

we also played jenga & i lost. i love jenga.

there were also some records played in our living room. elvis, simon & garfunkel, johnny cash & then cults because i still can't stop thinking about seeing them live.

last thing, winter is winding down.

valentine's day.

 a little valentine's day recap:

^^i mailed out a few of these lovelies.

^^someone from work brought cupcakes. sweet!

^^jonas and i bought flowers and chocolate. to: us, from: us.

^^sharing a coconut milkshake from havana rumba!

^^all i really wanted was black beans and rice. you better believe i dumped the entire portion of black beans over the rice & ate it all. plus some of jonas' steak..

^^red tights. a must.

^^tiny little zanzabar. a great venue. maybe we can get kings of leon & arcade fire to have their shows here instead of the great and lame Yum Center ;)

^^we came to see the Cults. i love them. and we loved laughing at the girl who kept hitting everyone with her giant hair while dancing. some people just don't understand concert etiquette..or she was really drunk i guess..

lunch date.

jonas and i love our fancy meals at Cafe Classico.
especially the part where we share a pizza.
and we love adorable kid's movies when it is just the two of us...
"everything is awesome!"- go see the movie and you shall understand the quote..

bento boxes & pirates.

tuesday was fun.
jonas took me out to lunch for bento boxes at Dragon King's Daughter. we went to their New Albany location for the first time. it was so delicious, as always. ps- i ate all the seaweed. it was weird.

later in the evening we sat on the stage at Actor's Theater for Pirates of Penzance with our friends, Chad & Cammie.we all loved sitting on the stage. it was exciting to switch seats as the actors needed us to move. the actors were amazing singers & musicians & they just seemed like they were having a blast. i'm so glad we braved the freezing rain for this play, on its last night.
i am also sure i will be taking up the singing saw. i have loved it for a while and hearing it in person convinced me that it is time :)

kentucky rushmore.

 i have never seen the real rushmore.
but have now seen the KY rushmore in person.
i love it.
& this:

sunday snowday.

^^ribs from the crockpot with asparagus after church :)

^^the best ice cream & a beautiful katze.

^^selfies. this is what happens when there is not much going on.

^^snow boots.

^^snow is so wonderful, it always makes winter a little less dreadful.

we have a marine in the family!

my younger brother just finished training at Parris Island, SC. he seemed a little nervous when he left 3 months ago, but came back looking like a bad a**(according to me and my sister).
i had breakfast with him this morning. there is the confidence in his bones that i have never seen before.
he is awesome. we are soooo happy for him.
through the veterans' families i have served at the funeral home, i have been gaining a huge amount of respect and understanding for our service men and women. but this feeling is more intense when your own brother is a marine! it was strange to get letters from him while he was away because it seemed like he was on another planet and i felt guilty living my comfortable life. but, i am grateful for his service. i am grateful for every individual who has served the United States. oh yeah, thanks dad, for letting me steal this photo.