That Time I was Supposed to Run 13.1 Miles...

I'm a fair-weather "athlete" at best.  Wait, let me rephrase that.  I'm not an athlete as much as a very slow runner.  Either way, my running game was put to the test once Sam entered this world.  Pushing your 20-pound child through your hilly neighborhood just isn't fun.  Before Sam, I enjoyed working out a few times a week.  I was even peer-pressured into doing sprint triathalons, 5Ks, and a half-marathon.  The half-marathon was my favorite, first and foremost because it was at Disney World.  And, the Magic Kingdom is something to get excited about, even if I'm running through it.  I also enjoyed the rewards of pushing myself physically and seeing results.  I was running 5-6 times a week and could actually run 12-13 miles (a huge feat for someone who could who dreaded running a mile in PE).  Shortly after I completed the 13.1 miles, running came to a stop once I found out I was pregnant.  And, I've really never got my running game back since. 

But, game or no game, I one of those people who can't commit to the training until I've signed-up.  Meaning, I find no reason to train for a half-marathon unless I'm invested financially and mentally.  I need a date on my calendar and a training calendar posted on my fridge with days to cross off.  This is how I functioned before Sam, so I assumed the same to be true after Sam.  Not.so.much. 

My friend Lauren and I signed-up in January to run the Nashville Rock n' Roll 1/2 Marathon this Spring.  When was it?  Yesterday...Saturday, April 27.  And where was I?  Sitting with a cup of coffee while enjoying a view of mountains and Lake Rabun.  Apparently, even I'm financially invested, that doesn't mean my body and mind is as committed as my wallet.  Once Lauren and I started training, we both realized the challenges of trying to find the time to train with toddlers.  It became evident that as April approached, we were not in any condition to run this race.  We finaly both admitted that we messed this one up and embraced a relaxing weekend at the lake as a more reasonable option...no training needed for that!  This plan definitely beat packing-up our house, husbands and children to wake up way too early to run a race our hearts weren't invested in.  Instead, my family enjoyed a weekend with friends and doing absolutely nothing which is a nice break to our hectic schedule. 

Marc and Sam throwing rocks off the boat house

Ellie took a cat nap during dinner

Sam and his buddies Ellie and Brynn (and yes, he's constantly surrounded by girls since the majority of our friends have girls..he's committed to many arranged marriages...we have time to figure that one out)

I have to admit, I didn't miss running it one bit (finding out it was cold and rainy in Nashville made it even easier).  Yes, I would like to run a half-marathon again, but there's a time for everything.  And right now, I'm enjoying the time with my family. 

January aka Birth Month!

Since I've decided to return to blogging, I realize my posts have been pretty deep - which is pretty indicative of life around the Hunt household recently.  God is certainly moving in our home, but it's not all serious around here....we do like to have fun...

...which is what we've been doing in honor of what we refer to in our home as my BIRTH MONTH!  My family has always teased  me that I don't like to just celebrate a birth day, but the entire month long.  And, in response I say, WHY NOT?!  It's a time to feel special, go out to dinner, eat CAKE (one of my favorite desserts and one of the main reasons I enjoy weddings), open presents and receive birthday greetings via mail, e-mail, text and Facebook.  Who wouldn't love that?  And, if it lasts more than one day, bring it on!

To kick-off my 29th birthday celebration, I had a weekend of pampering with a girl's night out with two dear friends.  We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead and dined in the big city.  What a treat to enjoy adult food, beverages, and conversation!!  The next morning, I enjoyed an hour massage and pedicure.  I went home completely relaxed...it's amazing what a relaxing night of fellowship can do to this girl's soul.  I am so grateful that my sweet husband realizes my need for date nights and girls' nights.  Since becoming a mommy, quality time with friends and my husband mean more to me than they ever did.  Later that weekend, I was able to catch up with another dear friend over dinner at my favorite restaurant in the world...Last Resort in Athens.  Seriously, I was spoiled that weekend.  I owe Marc a refreshing weekend in the woods pronto after my weekend of pampering. 

On my actual birthday, Marc and Sieara took me to dinner at Stoney River near our home.  I have had SO much good food this month and am still enjoying cake...see all the perks to having a birth month?!  Everyone should have one. 

What a way to ring in the last year in my 20s.  They've been so good to me, and I expect nothing but more fun, adventures and excitement in my 30s.  Now, time for some cake...

Excused Abscence

I sincerely apologize for my extended absence, it's just that I've been living quite a few adventures, and just haven't had a moment to write about them.  And actually, my biggest one, my one-year-old son, Sam, just woke up from his nap meaning that this post will have to wait a few hours..maybe days, but certainly not more than a year.  But, don't hold your breath quite yet.....

....Ok, false alarm, he seems to be settling back into sweet slumber giving me a few more precious moments.

2013 is well underway, and this blog hasn't seen any action since November 2011.  Our world was rocked in so many ways with the birth of our son, Samuel Wesley Hunt.  Sam Bam, Sam I Am or just Sam as we like to call him.  The immediacy and exhaustion of the newborn stage kept us (or specifically me) rather preoccupied.  Then feeding, work, camp, crawling...there's always something isn't there?  I think we just call it life  However, I'll spare us more reading and writing than we have time for on catching you up on the last almost 14 months.  The quicker than Reader's Digest version is:

• Marc graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with a degree in Christian Leadership. 
• God very clearly called me to stay at home with Sam...funny how the one thing you think you would NEVER do, you end up doing.  I will eventually stop putting absolutes on my life as I seem to eat my words every.single.time....
• We attended our 5th Camp Hope
• Celebrated our 5th Anniversary with a romantic getaway to NYC!
• Celebrated Sam's first birthday

And, that pretty much brings us up to speed.  Of course, there was  LOT more that happened.  Lots of big, little and in between milestones that I'm sure will come out as I figure out where I'm headed in this new adventure of life.  For now though, the cries through the monitor indicate nap time officially is over...adios for now!

Adventures in KY

This past weekend, my mom, Marc and I traveled to Lexington, KY for the UGA-UK game. My mom has been talking up this UGA-UK game since she and my stepdad, Fred, went two years ago. So, this year, she got 4 tickets for all of us to go. Unfortunately, Fred couldn't come at the last minute so we gave the 4th ticket to my sweet friend Sloanie. The adventure started on Friday morning when Mom picked us up and after a short stop at Whole Foods, we were KY-bound!

If there's one thing about my mother, she never meets a stranger. When in public, she can hardly concentrate on one thing because she's so excited at the possibility of talking to someone new (I guess I know where I get my short attention span from). Mom made friends with the employees of the KY Welcome Center (yes, we did stop there just to talk with them), our hotel, our waiter at dinner on Friday night, at Keeneland for the race horses and of course at the game on Saturday night. Mom always leaves places with friends...which I have to admit is quite helpful when you're in a new place. Thanks to her lack of a shy bone in her body, we discovered Cumberland Gap Falls off exit 15 in Kentucky and a great running trail near our hotel that winded through horses farms (we ran a grueling 6.5 miles...Mom has her 1/2 marathon in December, mine is in January and Marc is just plain crazy but a great encourager!)

Here are some pictures from our adventures this weekend:

Mom and I are super excited about stopping at the KY Welcome Center!

At Cumberland Gap Falls as suggested by our friend at the Welcome Center. It was beautiful!


At the horse races in Keeneland. For all of us, it was our first horse racing experience.
A nice gentleman gave us his tickets to his box!
Go horses! I have to admit I can see why betting becomes addicting...we stopped after one race and none of our horses won.
My friend Sloanie was at the races too (she's the one on the far left)!
Go Dawgs!