I interrupt this regularly scheduled Marathon Monday for a bit of a panic attack. I started writing this blog post in my head last week as I started to look ahead at my running schedule. The miles are building and so is the unknown. To train to run a marathon, most programs have you running at least four times a week with one of those runs being a long run, as I am doing. Each week you increase both the distance of your long run as well as your total weekly miles. Soon my long runs will be passing the half marathon distance (13.1 miles) which is uncharted territory for me. The unknown has me a bit nervous, so much so that I'm feeling nervous even when I go out for a "short" run. Regardless, I still get out there. Marathon training has definitely been valuable practice in routinely facing fears. So last week, my long run was twelve miles. I faced my fear and I did it! And it felt good. I thought I had maybe turned a corner. But then I came home with an achy ankle that did...

Last night, while my hubby enjoyed a night playing cards, my girls and I enjoyed a night of cookie baking and movie watching. We began our evening making homemade Oreos recently shared by Bakerella . We had a lot of fun measuring, tasting, mess-making, etc.. The cookie batter turned out awesome, even with different chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Unfortunately, since I'm not the best at reading ahead before starting, I soon discovered that due to a few hours of chilling, we weren't going to be eating homemade Oreos before bedtime (even a fairly late bedtime). Boo hoo! The girls were actually very understanding, so we chilled the dough, watched our movie ( Princess Diaries ), and went to bed. And then the cookie making continued in the morning, because there's no better way to start the day than with fresh baked Oreos! Yum!

I realize that the other day , I was a bit vague. I wrote about the "stories" we often tell ourselves, but I didn't really share my specific "stories." I shared examples of my rewritten stories such as my running and weight-loss, but I didn't share any of my current "stories." Stories of things I've always thought were impossible to change. Things I thought were "just me." "That's just the way I am." And you know why I didn't share? I was scared. I was scared to admit them and face the possibility that things could be different. But I am going to share. So many little things lined up that I need to share. The other day, I came to realize that I've spent a lifetime telling myself one story that I've never, ever considered questioning-- I am shy and quiet . But do I have to be shy and quiet? Do I need to be fearful of speaking in front of people? I can change that if I want to? My head is spinning. Ima...

Here we go again, it's Marathon Monday #2 (continued from here ): Week 1, Day 1 of Couch to 5K ( my first run ): May 1st, 2011 "It felt good to get outside. Running was hard, but short enough to do." ~from my C25K app journal entry When I took my first run last year, it was not love at "first step." Running for even one minute at a time was rough. It was hard on my heart, my lungs, my legs, etc.. But I was determined. I needed to get healthy. Earlier in the year, I had started my fitness journey (another year, another try) by using our elliptical machine while watching TV. As warmer weather and longer days approached, the ellipse became more and more of a chore. TV shows I had been watching while on the ellipse were ending. And it was getting harder to be indoors, with the nicer weather. Not to mention how difficult it was becoming to stay inside among the household clutter that comes with a busy family. I needed a change. So as challenging as it was, the C...

Fall wreath made with wire hanger, burlap strips, and fabric scraps Do you ever find yourself so inspired that you just can't sleep? So inspired that your heart races with excitement? So inspired that your mind races with ideas? I certainly do and that's what I am experiencing right now. I am inspired in so many ways it's crazy. This always seems to happen as we approach this time of year . Fall is coming! I really treasure everything about fall, whether it's the cooler weather, football Sundays, hot tea, and the smell of cinnamon. Family time visiting Apple Hill and local pumpkin patches. Time spent baking yummy treats and making seasonal crafts and decor. Celebrating Halloween and my daughter's birthday and Thanksgiving. What is not to love about fall? And to top it off, the arrival of fall brings us closer and closer to the most wonderful time of the year--Christmas (today marks just 100 days until the big day--Yay!)

Red Typewriter by Mandy Lynne Are you a storyteller? I am discovering that I am. Now, I don't mean the kind of storytelling I started on Monday on with the Marathon Mondays . Not the kind where you are retelling a great adventure or sharing an interesting experience with a friend. Or the kind of stories that you might tell your children about knights and princesses and dragons, etc. I mean the made-up "stories," or lies, you tell yourself, like "I can't do ____, because I'm not _____." Earlier this week, thanks to Tiffany and an eye-opening conversation, I began to realize that I am quite the storyteller. I often tell myself "stories" about things that aren't necessarily true. For instance, I used to tell myself I couldn't lose weight because it's too hard or I couldn't be an athlete because I'm not coordinated. But I finally recognized these things as untrue "stories" so now I've lost 40lbs and I...

I've probably hinted at it, but have I mentioned that I am training for the California International Marathon (CIM) on December 2? My very first marathon. I've been meaning to explore the road that brought me to this decision because prior to last year, my only running experience was playing in elementary school. I never ran cross country or participated in any sports (I was a band nerd). So how did I choose to train for a marathon? Great question. A question that I even wonder about...... a lot. It was an interesting process coming to this decision. Some of which I can't truly explain, but I am going to try. It's kind of a long story and I'm not usually much of a storyteller (that would be my husband). But my running story has become such a huge part of me that I think it's worth telling, even if it's just for me and my family. Life is full of choices and it's fascinating to look back at how some of them are made. Especially the more signific...

This summer, a little over a month ago, I ran my first half marathon. 13.1 miles! For me, it was 2-1/2 hours of running with a brief walk through the various water stations. An amazing accomplishment for someone that struggled with just one minute of running a little over a year ago. So I was proud! I knew it would be a big deal, so I often talked about getting a 13.1 decal for my car window to mark the occasion. And I did! In fact, my family presented me with my new decal just moments after I crossed the finish line and I couldn't have been more excited, or exhausted. I proudly placed that decal on my car window and my heart sings every time I see it. It holds such incredible meaning and memories. I love seeing it every time I open the garage in the morning or walk to my car in a parking lot. As I once again noticed my decal this morning, I had a thought. Wouldn't it be great if we could all have decals celebrating our proudest moments? Something the whole world could see, bu...

When I stop to think about it, the internet is an amazing place. For me, it's a great source of creative inspiration with so many wonderful blogs and sites like Pinterest . Sites like Facebook provide me with a sense of community and a simple way to stay in touch with friends. While I strive to get fit, I have found motivation and support from friends on Facebook, posters on Pinterest , and tools from Weight Watchers . It's been a true blessing. But sometimes it can be a source of insecurity. Sometimes you can't help but compare yourself to what you see out there. I've caught myself wondering how other bloggers balance the pressures of life, especially motherhood, with building a creative business. How do they find the time to come up with so many projects and blog posts, and take care of their family and home? Or I sometimes wonder why can't I run that fast? Or why is it so much harder for me to lose weight? Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera... If I'm not careful...

This past weekend marked the one year anniversary of running my first 5K . And that first 5K was a wonderful and challenging experience. I had never quite run 3.1 miles before the race, but I had been building myself up using the C25K app . I was fairly confident I could run the full distance, but I still was unsure about how it would go. Based on my training runs, I told my family to watch for me at about 45 minutes. And then I surprised myself and set a personal record (PR) running the entire race in 39:44 minutes (a 12:49 min/mile). And as I wrote about it last year , it was pretty magical. So to mark the anniversary, I ran a 5K in the Whole Foods Running School Family Fun Run . And it was just as wonderful and challenging as my first. As usual, I was fortunate to have my incredibly supportive family with me, but I also had two friends running the 5K with me, as well as others running the 10K and the half marathon. But, for me, Sunday's race was about celebrating my 5K. As my f...

For many years I've struggled with my weight, especially after having my two daughters. I tried countless times to lose weight, using various diets or exercise regimens, but never successfully. Often, I'd find it difficult to maintain changes long enough to see results, so I'd get discouraged and return to my old, bad habits. My emotional eating, my sweet tooth, and my fairly sedentary lifestyle would always get the best of me. But last year, things finally started to shift and change. It happened little by little, but it started happening. For instance, I increased my physical activity last year, first using our elliptical machine while watching television and then switching to running using the Couch to 5K program in May 2011. Being more active didn't come naturally, especially the running, but I did it because I knew something had to change. I needed to get healthy for myself, but also for my girls. I wanted to be an example of how to live life, not an example...

Today was one my first mornings of "freedom" since both my daughters are now in school and it's one of my days off. I can't tell you how excited and anxious I was to have time to get things done without carting a little one around with me. But it was almost too much pressure. I wanted to get so much done that I felt frantic. I felt a bit like our dog Sprinkles racing around the house in excitement with too much energy to contain. I'll admitt, I almost feel the same way as I return to my blog. I have so much I want to share, so much I want to write. In fact, I feel overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. I know the beginning is often a very good place to start, but the beginning is not so easy to pinpoint in life. And life is what I'm looking to share here. I hope to share stories about my life and lessons I'm learning, art and projects that inspire me, adventures I take with and without my family, and my running and weight loss journey. I may not know exac...

I've been absent from the blogging world for a while now. Life has been busy as usual, as I balance work and family and running, etc.. So rather than stress about packing more stuff in and blogging about it, I took a break. I stopped fretting over which way to go in my life (and with my blog) and just enjoyed living my life. I've been trusting myself and the path that I'm on. And an amazing journey it has been. And now I feel refreshed and inspired to write and share. First thing to share is that I'm retuning to my home on the web at By Jen . Earlier this year I moved myself to Simple Reminders because I felt it was a better fit for me, my artwork, and my message. But as much as I still love and believe in the message, I feel my journey has brought me back to me. And nothing is more "me" than By Jen. So it is here at By Jen that I hope to share stories about life, my family, and my new found love of running, as well as my artwork and creative adventures. Bas...

I know things have been quiet here at By Jen, but my life has been undergoing some big changes. I have made some brave choices this past year, the biggest of which was moving to a new home.  And after months of toying with the idea, I have decided to move By Jen to a new "home" as well. I have grown and changed over the years and so has my vision for my art, my life and "my self." So please join me at my new cyber home:   www.simplereminders.me

It seems as if I've been hiding away from the world for the past couple months. It wasn't my intention, but it just happens sometimes. When life gets crazy, I have to cut back. I have to simplify. So I've been fairly absent from friends and the Internet and blogs and inspiration and art, etc.. But it's all been worthwhile: My family and I are moving. Where you ask? Just 22.8 miles from our current home. This seemingly small move is going to mean big things for me and my family. This move is going to give us the gift of time. Less time driving and more time living. Hooray! So for a couple of months now, we've been consumed with all things house related. We searched for the "perfect" house for our family, our budget, and desired location. We held our breath as we bid on the "perfect" home only to suffer heartbreak when we lost the "perfect" home just days before signing documents and days before Thanksgiving. We didn't let the heartb...

Happy 2012! Its the beginning of a new year. A time for reflection and fresh starts. For the past several years rather than set resolutions that I don't keep, I've chosen a word to set the tone for the new year. But this year I am going to tackle the year a bit differently. Instead of focusing on one word, I am going to focus on a list of my top ten twelve values. Love Creativity Family connection Happiness Comfort Friendship Simplicity Fun Community Beauty Sharing Inspiration I put this list together with the help of Tiffany Moore , life coach extraordinaire, and I can't even tell you how powerful this list has been. It may look fairly simple, but it's given me a strong sense of "me." It's helped me when making decisions both big and small. I feel so much more grounded and organized having a list that reminds me of what makes me tick. Now don't get me wrong, my one little words have been quite powerful, too, especially last year's word, clear. M...

I know that lately I've been totally neglecting my blog (and creative side to a certain extent), but for very good reasons which I promise to share......soon! Happy Holidays!

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I can't help it. I love Christmas time! Life may be crazy as usual, but it's never too busy for me to find time for Christmas inspired art and crafts.

Do you ever feel like you're trying to do too much? Or maybe I should rephrase and ask if you ever feel like you're NOT trying to do too much? Are you also plagued by unrealistic expectations? Like the belief that you can do everything. Well that is what I'm dealing with. There's constantly a zillion things on my to do list and I'm always overly optimistic with the amount of things I can get done in a day. So after even the most productive of days, instead of celebrating what I've accomplished that day, I'm always left looking at the list of things I didn't get to. And you know what? I need to stop that. I need to set my expectations aside and acknowledge all that I do accomplish. I should be celebrating my victories, no matter how small. Like folding the laundry AND putting it away. Or getting everyone to school and work on time. Or making a home cooked meal that my family loves. These are the little things that make up everyday and everyday should be ...

Right now I feel like I'm barreling down the highway of life in a speedy red sports car. And the road I'm following isn't just straight. The road has some curves and I'm having to take some turns at top speeds. But you know what? I am in control. It might not always feel like it, but I am. I'm in the driver's seat, I'm making choices, and I'm going places. Too often in the past I've been content to sit in the passenger seat and just let life happen. And sometimes that's the right thing to do. But not today. Today I have choices to make and I am making them.