Niagara Mini-Marathon Complete - We Both Made It!

Well we are one week removed from our trip to Buffalo for the Niagara Falls Mini-Marathon and I can't believe that we have a Mini-Marathon under our belts. Melissa and I ran the race together and I started to have some foot pain around mile marker 5 so we decided to slow our pace but move like the tortise (slow and steady wins the race). It was great seeing and hearing all the high school sports teams and groups along the way cheering us on and supplying us with water and gatorade. It was funny, at mile marker 3 I could see Niagara Falls and I turned to Melissa and said look and she just started laughing. At mile 11 though, we both looked and said: "That's not so scary and far now!" We crossed the finish line in just under 3 hours and they even annouced our names! I look forward to my next Mini and my first full Marathon!

Naturally, any trip to Buffalo means that we are coming home with some Buffalo food! Saturday night we went to Tops, a local supermarket, and picked up the following:

• Case of LaBatt Blue
• 6 Cans of Grandma Browns Beans
• 4-5 Bottles of Weber's Spicy Mustard.

We also had a post race celebration friends luncheon at The Anchor Bar (Home of the Chicken Wing). We took Monday off for the drive and then got ready to head out of town. We ran to J.C. Penny's for some Bills hats and clothes and then we were on to Tim Horton's to pick up some Tim Bits, Mighty Taco for lunch and some to go for lunch the next day, and then we called ahead to La Nova Pizzeria and had them make a large Peperonni Pizza and a double order of Bar-B-Q wings, with extra blue cheese. I don't know what it is about Buffalo blue cheese but there is just something about it and you can't get it better any other place. I took the week off of exercising to recover from the Mini-Marathon (and my waistline noticed) but tonight I was back on the case again running a 3 mile jog. I need to start training for the Turkey Trot. Talk to you soon!

Construction, Construction, Wedding, Construction...

So this weekend my buddy Aaron and his Fiancee (now wife) got married in the great state of Michigan. So this is how our weekend went. Friday night we went and got haircuts since I was looking like Grizzly Adams and Melissa wanted to get her hair cut as well. Saturday morning we woke up 1/2 hour late to getting out of town. Dropped off the dogs to stay with my co-worker Lori for the weekend since the plan was to drive up to the wedding and drive back we didn't have anywhere for them to stay with us. We headed out of town and drop from Monroe where we stopped to get breakfast all the way till we hit the greater Detroit area, stopping for a bathroom break and a fill up. Now I didn't buy a Diet Pepsi at either stop since they were $2.⁰⁰. Now we did have to stop since I picked up April back at Lori's house and she got dirt on my shirt. So according to the GPS we were going to be about 45 minutes early, which was perfect, enough time to find a good seat and say hi to everyone prior to the ceremony. We grabbed a shirt at Old Navy, stood in a line that was entirely too long for such a gorgeous day (GO OUTSIDE PEOPLE) and we were on our way. Our 45 minutes early had turned into only 10 minutes early, which turned into 15 minutes late when we hit, as the title gives it way, construction traffic on the 75. So now we are 15 minutes late and we make a detour and find another road that gets us to the Van Dyke which we are flying down until we hit, yet again, construction traffic. We are now 1/2 hour late per the GPS. We get to the church just in time to see the end of the homily and we did get to see the exchange of the vows (the most important part).

So we had set up meeting a friend of ours for a quick bite after the wedding but before the reception which was a couple hours away so we headed off to that. We headed for an Applebees 20 minutes away via the Van Dyke which on our way we hit, YET AGAIN, construction traffic. Forget that "Pure Michigan" advertising slogan I got it for you so listen up Michigan Department of Travel/Tourism/whatever: Michigan, Construction Traffic. I finally get to calm my nerves and order some food and 2 tall La Batt Blues since we are in Detroit they have it on draft, LOVE IT. We had a nice snack and conversation with our friend but now we are off to the reception.

The reception was nice. I got to see my buddies Aaron and Justin, Aaron's wife Christina, Aaron's family and we met a couple of new people, too! Now we got to the reception at 7 and had dinner and talked with everyone but now it is 11 and we still have a 5 hour drive ahead of us. We were given the option to stay in Michigan at Aaron's/Aaron's parent's house but we wanted to get back to the dogs cause we missed them and it was Penny's first weekend with us and we wanted to see how she was doing so we headed back. We decided that we would drive and spend the night in Toledo and then head out in the morning. Mental note to everyone, just because a Quality Inn and Comfort Suites are run by the same company and may be a parking lot apart from each other doesn't mean that you will get the same type of room $59 / night or any room for that matter.

The next morning we headed out and picked up the dogs who loved staying with Lori and are welcomed back anytime from what I understand and headed home. We unpacked the car and everyone were bumps on a log for the rest of the day, what an action packed weekend :-) and hey there was plenty of purchasing of Tim Bits and Ice Cappes! Congratulations Aaron and Christina!

Ideal Body Weight, Milkshakes, & Benihana!!!

     Well, your probably wondering how the 3 things in the title go together.  They all have something to do with how my weekend went.  Starting on Friday, I had a doctors appointment.  Last time I was at the doctor (October of last year) I weighed 265 lbs. and this time I weighed 219.5 lbs.  I asked the doctor if this was an ideal weight for me, and after asking me if the number was right or if it was a typo she said yes based on your height and body build my weight was a healthy weight for me.  Working out has completely changed our (Melissa and I) lives, we have more energy, eat healthier food, and have fun working out.  We have been leading a healthy lifestyle and will continue to live this way.
     Having said all of the above things, everyone is entitled to slip up at least once or twice.  So let's talk about the rest of the weekend.  We had dinner Friday night and took April out to the dog park.  On the way, Melissa and I split a peanut butter shake, yummy!  April had a lot of fun at the dog park.  We let her play by herself (thanks to the German Shepard that came at her when we got there)  and she seemed to like playing fetch and running around by herself.  She loves the dog park!
     Saturday we got up early and went to register my car.  We also found out that Purdue opened up some tickets for the Notre Dame vs. Purdue game so we are going to the game with our cousin John, a Purdue graduate, and it will be fun!  Then we took April with us and headed to the Outlet Mall in Jefferson, Ohio.  The Outlet Mall there is pet friendly which means that some of the stores allow you to bring your dog in with you.  April got a ton of pets, compliments, and lots of love.  Being out by the Outlet Mall also put us near a Tim Horton's which means TIM BITS & ICE CAPP'S all around!  We then headed back to Cincy and Melissa turn to me in the car and said "Benihana for dinner?"  and I said SURE!
     Melissa signed up for their "Chef's Club" which gets you a free dinner entree during the month of your birthday which means that her meal was free!  Going to Benihana is always fun and it gives me the option to get some sushi.  I like to order the Spider Roll, a soft shell crab roll.  Melissa turned to me after I ordered the Spider Roll and said, "Can I have some?" and I looked at her and said sure.  She had tried a roll I had in the past and didn't like it but this time when my Spider Roll came she had some and liked it (and even asked for a second piece).  I was happy to share with her and it brought an end to a great day!