Random stuff I figured you'd all want to know...

Hi Everyone!

Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday! The sun is just starting to shine here in Michigan and I'm getting ready to head out for a run, but before I go I wanted to share some totally unrelated and somewhat unimportant things that I've discovered lately. ;)

I read an awesome book by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea called "Run Like a Mother." This is an awesome running book not just for mommas. Its very motivational and pretty much just tells it like it is... Pick up a copy for yourself, or if you're a big technoid, download it to your kindle or ipad. It's a good read! These chicks are not nearly as funny as me pretty funny!

I've also been breaking in my new kicks... The Saucony ProGrid Guide 3s... I absolutely LOVE these shoes and I cannot say enough good things about them. I have run in the aesthetically pleasing Nike Shox, really dorky looking but somewhat comfortable Brooks shoes, and everything in between and I'm telling you, THESE SHOES are the best. They feel like I'm running on clouds and they don't look like my grandma's running shoes. I went to the Running Fit store in Northville, Michigan to buy these bad boys and they had me do something there that I've never done while trying on shoes before. I tried on a different shoe on my left and right foot and walked in them with my eyes closed. I didn't know the price or how the shoe actually looked on my foot, just how it felt while I walked in it. And that's how I came to buy the Sauconys. Normally, I'm always drawn to the newest, most expensive shoe or the pair that I think will look really cute with the Lulus but I think buying for comfort is the best idea. I love these shoes. I'm taking them with me to Vegas in December and I'm gonna marry them.

So, as many of you know, Les has perfect feet. I, however, do not. I literally get those gross black running toenails if I run downhill like one time. Seriously, from going down the stairs. It's pretty pathetic. In addition to running toes, I'm barefoot or in flip flops from April through October so, needless to say, I want need pedicures all the time. And that brings us to the international search for the highly-coveted, yet unavailable fall nail color, Chanel Paradoxal. Well, don't fret. I got my sticky fingers on the last bottle at the Saks in Troy, Michigan. Thank you Somerset Collection, once again, you've restored my will to live. You can't really tell from the blurry Blackberry pic, but this color is AWESOME. Its a really cool purple-y grey. I love it. I can't wait for my next pedicure.

Well lovers, I saved the best for last. Guess who came out with an active wear line... Lilly Pulitzer. I literally died when I got the catalog in the mail. So, I am a LOYAL lululemon fan... LOYAL. But how flippin' cute is the Norma Fleece wrap in the Navy/Pink stripe?! Maybe not even for working out, but you know, grocery store, pedicure, whatever! Comfy and presentable. Love that Lilly!

Well, I've put off this run long enough. Time to head out there and get some sun! Have a great day!

P.S. I'm still looking for more songs for my running playlist so if you have any good ideas for me, f-book or tweet me!

xo, c

Things I wish I had known...

One of my very favorite blogs to read is called Summer is a Verb. I love reading her blog because she posts a lot about Hermes, summering on the beach, and she's hilarious. She pulls off the preppy/bohemian look effortlessly (bo-prep-ian?) and her blog is lighthearted and fun to read. Anyways, she recently wrote a post for her niece's 19th birthday (I think its her niece) about things she wished she had known when she was nineteen. It was fun to read, but also really endearing. So I'm copying her idea and making a little "Things I now know about running... and life in general."

• If you ever decide to run a marathon (or any distance, for that matter!), tell everyone you know about it.  Its a great way to self-promote make sure you stick to your goal! One of my former managers used to say "you better be selling you, because chances are nobody else is..." and it's true! So in addition to encouraging others, we can't forget to advertise our own personal goals! 

"Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer." --Marcia Wieder

• Help people who have helped you. This is not to say that we should only give to receive, or only give because we have been given to, but be mindful of the people who aren't in your corner. And get them out of your life!

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those be well-tried before you give them your confidence." --George Washington

• If you aren't taking care of your skin and teeth, start today! I'm always thinking to myself, if only I hadn't lived in a tanning bed and only visited the dentist when my teeth were aching I had diligently taken care of my face back in the day... Take care of those chompers and use good products! No one forgets a beautiful face!

"Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles." --George Eliot

• Any sort of extreme physical challenge (marathon, century ride, etc) is going to be extremely tough! If there is anything I've learned from running races its that I cannot slack off. That behavior pretty much only leads to a hungover thirteen mile run through the hills of San Diego a big wake-up call! Train for the race knowing it will be a huge challenge!

"The virtue lies in the struggle, not in the prize." --Richard Monckton Milnes

And there you have it, my words of wisdom for the week. Thanks Summer is a Verb for inspiring this little post!


In other news, yesterday I went to the high school track to run... Uhhh apparently cheerleading practice has started. So I went to the gym instead. As much as I'd love to drag myself around a track in front of twenty-ish 95lb cheerleaders, I'll pass. No need to make them all jealous... ;)


Have a great day!


xo, c

You just give me the... sparklies.

So I stalk blogs. I'm a stalker. I'll just put that out there. Well, over the last couple of weeks, I've noticed lots of bloggers adding these little "sparklies" entries to their blogs. Basically, I think the sparklies are just things/events/people that make us happy or send a little shiver down our spine. Here is my list. Clearly, I've got... nothing better to do than blog about NOTHING Time. On. My. Hands.

In no particular order...drumroll please...Christine's "Sparklies"

“My Way” by Frank Sinatra... I love Frankie tunes, but this is a personal fave. My Nono loved this song too, so it has sentimental value.

A personal mantra... Some people choose a motivational quote, a Bible verse, etc... Choose one that means something to you and repeat it to yourself when you feel like ending it all, perhaps during a verbal altercation with your three year old daughter while running the hills of San Diego.

Any email from Banana, lululemon, Sephora, etc... that says, "Thank you for your order, Christine. Your [white timeless tee, 57th pair of yoga pants, newest miracle cream insert item here] has shipped and will be delivered personally by Bradley Cooper sans shirt via FedEx within 2-3 business days.
Aviators... These sunglasses make anyone look smokin' hot. I love them. I rock aviators everyday!

Cleaning/Organizing a cupboard or closet... I have no idea why I like doing this so much, but for some reason I do. I'm totally becoming so lame awesome in my old age.

My sister... Sure, we are sisters and we still have our share of physical brawls disagreements, but no one else can get me into a gut-busting laugh attack more than this girl. And she's an awesome aunt to Addy.

Any of the Mari Winsor pilates DVDs... Pilates will help improve your posture and lots of other things and the Winsor Pilates series (old, new, current) are some of the best out there. I love Mari!
Diet Coke... warm/cold, can/bottle. I get a little chill down my spine when I crack my first DC of the morning. After I've already had two cups of coffee, natch.

The street I grew up on... Ok remember when we you were a kid and everyone made up their pornstar rockstar name and it was always the name of your first pet (Coco, the wonderdog) followed by the name of the street you grew up on (Paradise Lane), COCO PARADISE. Thank you Mom and Dad for planning that so perfectly. That aside, I do love going to see my old house in Arizona and I love seeing the homes where my parents grew up in Wisconsin. Ok, that was a really stupid "sparkly."

Meeting someone with the same birthday... One of my girlfriends is my birthday twin (June 10) and I love sharing my special day with her, but I also love hearing about other June birthdays. Love my Geminis!

The finish line of any race... It could be a local 5k or the Olympic Marathon, regardless, I get a full-body rush watching the athletes finish the race. All that hard work, courage, and determination paying off. Definitely a good "sparkly."

Trader Joe's Soy Creamy Cherry Chocolate Chip... if I had to choose between eternal love or this ice cream, I'd choose the ice cream, because then I'd have both! I love this stuff!

A nice bottle glass of pinor noir or cabernet... I'm Italian. Its genetic. Its actually illegal for me to NOT like red wine. Oh well.

Any celeb sightings of the A-list variety... If you know me at all, you know I love celebs. And if you don't know me, sucks for you you should!

Vegan Cupcakes from Cupcake Station... I absolutely love treats. And I also love eating raw cake batter (or cookie dough, I'm not picky), so baking and eating cupcakes is a great hobby for me.

Aquaphor... I absolutely love this stuff. If you are a runner, use it to avoid chafing. Not a runner? Use it to make your lips shiny, your cuticles softer, the heels of your feet less gnarly... etc.

Well kiddies, there you have it. My list of "sparklies."

Since this is a running blog, I figured I should let you know I ran two miles at the highschool track last night. I hate running on the track, but sometimes I do it. Ahhhh well, that's it.

xo, c