Resolution

The new year has a way of making us all examine ourselves and start dreaming about ways that we could be better.  This year I vow to recognize and celebrate all the little things.  (In the end, they are really the BIG things.)  I vow to love more and judge less.  I vow to work on forgiveness.  I have realized that it is easy to say that you forgive someone . . .  but incredibly difficult to actually feel it in your head and heart.  I vow to be a better, more patient, more tolerant, kinder, gentler version of myself.  Happy 2013!!

 

 

 

 

 

I am so excited for a new season of running and races!!  I never stand at the starting line because I want to win a race.  The only person I am trying to beat is the voice in my head that tells me "I CAN'T"!! 

These are the races that are catching my eye this year . . .

• 3-2-13, Mrs Robinsons Romp 10K Trail Race
• 4-6-13, Brew to Brew Relay
• 4-20-13, OZ Half Marathon
• 6-15-13, Dirty Duo 5+ mile biking/running/MUD event
• 8-23-13, Portland Hood to Coast Relay

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 Fitness GOALS

 

1. Run 500 miles in 2013

2. Run my 2nd half marathon

3. Run Hood to Coast Relay (again!)

4. Do something active with each of my brothers

 5. Get faster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my new running partner, Buddy.  I hope to log a TON of miles with him this year!!
 

Gratitude

Last night, I was lying in bed thinking about my life.  Thinking about gratitude.  Thinking about my many blessings and how my cup always seems to "runneth over".  This year, our family made a "Thankful tree" and every day in November we recorded what we were thankful for (on little leaves) and added them to our tree.  It was awesome to see what my kids came up with.   My favorite leaves were "snacks", "backhoes", "Jesus", "music" and "my hot wife".   


 
 

Here are some of the things in my life that I am grateful for this year:

 

THE "KIDS" TABLE -

I always dreamed that my brother and I would raise families together.  At one point in my life I almost gave up on that dream.  My heart is bursting with happiness that our kids have eachother to grow up with.  It is so much fun to sit at a full, loud "kids table" with people you love. Cousins by blood, friends by choice. 

 

 

 

 

RUNNING-

I started running a little more than two years ago and it has given me so much.  It has become a part of me and I can't imagine a day when I don't run.  I love running with my girlfriends . . . talking about our lives, our husbands, our dreams. I love that feeling of awe when my body does something I never thought possible. I love crossing a finish line and the feeling of accomplishment that fills me up.  I love running races and I love jogging through my neighborhood watching winter become spring and summer become fall.   I have been on amazing adventures and made some incredible friends . . . all because of a little running.

 

 

 

 

MY FIRST NIECE-
My first niece, Margot Irene, was born on November 11th.  She is beautiful and sweet, and I can't wait to watch her grow.  Congratulations to Meg and Karl!

 

MY HUSBAND-

I am one lucky girl.  And I am pretty sure I don't tell my husband that fact often enough.  So I will say it now.  He is incredible.  He is almost always right.  He is always here for me and for our kids when we need him.  He is goofy and sweet and hard-headed and hard-working and meticulous and generous and I cannot imagine taking this journey with anyone else.  We will celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss in 2013!

8-9-2003, Beaver Lake

 

February 2011, Sanibel Island

 

 

MY KIDS-
There are no words.  I cannot find the words that adequately capture how I feel about these 3 little people.  To the moon and back doesn't begin to describe the depth and width and magnitude of my love.  They are my world and I am so grateful for every single day I get to share with them.

MY 2012 RUNNING STATS:

JAN 31.6

FEB 23.64
MAR 63.07
APR 40.95
MAY 29.1
JUN 38
JUL 35.48
AUG 50.87
SEPT 20.2
OCT 15.72

 NOV 28.3

 

TOTAL: 376.9 miles

GOAL: 400 miles in 2013 
23 miles to go in December to reach my goal!!

 

 

 

 

Superhero trick-or-treating

The McCluer's LOVE Halloween!  As usual, we decided to choose a theme for our costumes . . .  and Graham REALLY wanted to be a superhero!  He changed his mind about a hundred times and finally settled on BATMAN!

 

 

The rest of us slowly settled on our costumes . . . even Lola got in on the action this year!! 

 

 

 

 

G had his first preschool Halloween party this year . . .

G is the Batman in the front row

 

 

The girls did a service project with Girls Scouts and held a costume parade at a nursing home

Ella, Audrey, Molly & Sophia.  Kindergarten Girl Scouts and sweet friends.

2nd grade GS Troop.  (plus a few siblings!)

 

 

We also "trunk-or treated" at Stanley Elementary.

My little superheroes

LOVE the look on G's face.  He wasn't quite sure about this guy.

 

FINALLY, It was time to TRICK-or-TREAT!!

It's a bird . .  it's a plane . . .

It's the McCluer's getting ready to fight crime and collect candy in the great subdivision of Green Meadows!!

 

 

 

Our cute little pumpkins

checking our their "loot" at the end of the night

 

 

 

 

RUNNING UPDATE

I'm feeling a little discouraged as I realize it's going to be impossible for me to meet my goal of 500 miles this year.  September and October were extremely busy months and I had trouble finding the time and the motivation to hit the streets.

After running my heart out for Hood to Coast, I think my mind and my body needed a little break!!

 

Time for some new goals!!

• Hit 400 miles for 2012 and then I will try again for 500 miles in 2013.
• Run the Thanksgiving Day 5K with my family (YAY!) and get prepared to run a 10K in early 2013!
 
 
 

RUNNING STATS:

JAN 31.6

FEB 23.64

MAR 63.07

APR 40.95

MAY 29.1

JUN 38

JUL 35.48

AUG 50.87

SEPT 20.2

OCT 15.72 (embarassing but true)

 

TOTAL= 348.6 miles for the year

 

 

Yep.  This was my October.

 

One thing I have learned from running and from the trials of my life . . . if you fall down 7 times, get up 8.  You gotta keep moving, keep trying, keep on keeping on!!! 

 NEVER. GIVE. UP.

 

 

 

 



Beautiful Oregon

My trip to Oregon for HTC was my first experience in the Pacific Northwest. It is an incredibly beautiful and diverse area. I tried to capture the beauty with my camera, but somehow the photos pale in comparison to the real thing.  These pictures were my attempt to capture the magnificent scenes of Oregon.

 

Aunt Sally's cute purple house and amazing roses

You see houses of every color in Portland!

Vineyard in Sandy,OR.

A peek of Mt Hood

Downtown Portland and the Wilamette River

Mt St Helens.  This is as good as I could do from a moving car window . . .
 we were driving to our next exchange with no time for sight seeing!!

This little beauty was hidden in the woods at one of our exchanges.

Our adorable cottage in Seaside, OR.

Beach Street, the view from our cottage.

This was the ADORABLE house next door.  Hmmmmm, HTC 2013 digs??

Seaside

A jog on the beach?? Really?
 You didn't get enough running in the last 36 hours??

Part of Team Kid Free Weekend
Notice we are NOT running on the beach.

Haystack Rock

Cannon Beach.  Hydrangeas everywhere, tons of shopping, and Haystack Rock.
This little town was adorable.

The Goonies House.  Yep, I did the truffle shuffle.

We could hear these guys from the Goonies House.  Elizabeth says they are the
slugs of the sea, but I thought they were super cute.

Astoria, Oregon

View from Chanticleer Point
 

 Vista House.  A beautiful lookout point.

View from Vista House. I mean, really!!

Oregon Scenic Highway

 Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls.  We hiked up to that little bridge-
 the smell and the view are both breathtaking.

Columbia River

An exchange in Vernonia, OR.
We were exhausted but it was too beautiful to close our eyes.

The trees are so tall and the stars are so bright
The air is cool and clean
It is magical.

I had lunch at the end of this pier on my last day in Oregon. 

Shipyard on the Columbia

Mt Hood from the air



P.S. 323 miles down, 177 to go.