Thank You Reader's Digest!

Back in 2006 Reader's Digest wrote an article that sparked my husband's interest. It was about an adventure called "Outward Bound" where you go on an outdoor adventure and really get to know yourself and your limits. Your classroom is the outdoors, the forests, river, mountains, etc. are your guide. It sounded amazing. So my husband saved that copy of the Reader's Digest.

Well. I was Spring cleaning.........and.........you got'er pontiac, I threw out that edition. oops.

Since we've started our running program and healthier lifestyle project we have been trying to think of ways in which we can go on adventures and do more activity-oriented family things when my husband remembered this article called "Inge Kreher's Family Legacy" that was written in the RD edition that I threw away. The only problem was, we couldn't remember the name of the program.

It drove us crazy. Both of us had read the article. More than once. But we COULD NOT think of the name of the program (doesn't that drive you nuts?). I googled it of course, but there was nothing about this article. So, I emailed the author of the article and asked her if she could send a copy to me. (fingers crossed, totally not even expecting a reply). That very night Susan McClelland shoots me back an email only too happy to oblige. REALLY!!! I was ecstatic! What a wonderful woman!! I was so excited that I got a response and flabbergasted by her kindness.

The next thing I know (okay it was a few weeks later) the phone rings. It's Reader's Digest!! I answered (keep in mind I have been faithfully sending in those RD sweepstakes for YEARS) so when the lady on the other end said, "Hello Carmen?" I *gasped*, my eyes went wide, and my heart started pounding.
Could they be calling because I won the money sweepstakes? I did just send in my papers about a month ago.......

"This is Julie from Reader's Digest, how are you?"

Trying not to sound like I'm freaking out because I'm thinking I'm getting a once in a lifetime call about winning millions...."I'm good thanks how are you?"

"I'm really good. Listen, Susan McClelland told us you're looking for a copy of her article from the August 2006 issue, would you mind if we just sent you a copy of the entire book rather than just the article?"

Okay, so I didn't win millions and I have quit holding my breath, my heart starts beating normally and I am over-the-top thrilled that Reader's Digest would be so nice as to send us a copy of that article.......and we aren't even subscribers!! "That would be so great Julie, Thank you SO much this is just so nice of you!"

A couple of days later the copy of the edition I had thrown out showed up in the mail. The name of the program we were looking for is called "Outward Bound" and it's more amazing than I remembered because this time I checked out the website. Click here to see their information video clip. I can hardly wait to do this some day! It sounds like it would be the adventure of a lifetime, and isn't that what life is supposed to be all about? Adventure?

Thanks again Reader's Digest. And just for that, I am now going to become a subscriber :)

Poll (Updated)

Check out my new reader's poll to your left. This actually happened - I will tell you the real outcome when the poll closes. I want to know: what would you do?
(p.s. it's totally anonymous!!)

Update:
Thank you to everyone who took my recent poll! This is actually a true story where a friend of mine gave 5 of her co-workers scratch n' win tickets for Christmas this year. One of the 5 got the $10,000 ticket. What did she do with it? Nothing. Natta. Nil. She is keeping it all for herself and my poor friend isn't even getting lunch and barely a "thank you".
We talked about this over the Christmas break with many people and I found the reaction to be so diverse. Do you share? Not share? Many people said no way, they would not share, it was a gift. They said "what's the point of giving a scratch n win as a gift? To give a cheap gift? Or to sincerely hope that the person you gave it too will win?" True that.
There is no right or wrong answer here. If they were good friends it may have split up their friendship (have a look in the comments section, Angie left an interesting story about a Tim Horton's fiasco over a boat! Thanks Angie!!).

So to throw in my own 2 cents, I think I would have to split that ticket in half with the person who bought it for me. I don't think I could do anything different.

My friend is taking this very well. She still has to work with this girl every day so it's a sticky situation. I'm not sure I could be so friendly. But then again, I don't think I will give scratch n win's for gifts anymore! If I was in my friend's shoes I think I would be pissed that the girl didn't even say thanks or take me out to lunch or something. That's just where I stand. But I think it's because every time I used to go to Bingo as a child with my Grandma & Mom in the small town my Grandma lived in, we would always agree before we even walked in that if either of us won we would split it down the middle. Like I said, there is no right answer.

2.5 miles

I've changed up my running routine a little bit after I learned about target heart rates. I started to wear the heart rate monitor on my treadmill and now I can see just how hard it is for me to run!
Well. Let me tell you. Up until this point I had been training to run - Olympic style! I was working out WAY too hard, no wonder those runs were killing me! Once I started to keep my running in my target heart rate zone I could go for MUCH longer and not feel like I was going to faint or vomit at the end of each run. You gain the most benefits and lessen the risks when you exercise within your target heart rate.
Yesterday I ran 2.5 miles in 32 minutes. My ultimate goal is to run 5k's (3 miles) in 30 minutes so I have some speed work to do. I'm not fretting about it though - I know my endurance will build as the time goes on and my heart rate won't be as high once I build up my endurance.
Either way - if you would have told me a few months ago when I started the program that by now I could run for 32 minutes in a row I'm not sure I would have believed you!

I believe that the reason I haven't been able to do something like this up until this point in my life is because I was doing. it all. wrong.

I would start out my new regimen way too fast, way too hard, with completely unrealistic expectations. Now that I've learned that starting out slower helps you stick with it longer I regret pushing myself so hard all those other times. You want to "bend" not "break" yourself. If you go too hard and break yourself you're not going to want to do it anymore and are more likely to quit. If you go slow, still push yourself but not to the point of injury or utter exhaustion, you're more likely to be inclined to push yourself a little further each time.

My new motivation: listening to the songs on my mp3 player. I rarely listen to music anymore throughout the day so when I get on the treadmill I get to enjoy all of my music. I'm always looking for new songs so if you have any great suggestions throw them my way!!

I wouldn't call myself a true "runner" just yet, but I am well on my way!! I'm so glad to have something in my life that I'm really "in" to again - life was getting kinda boring! (I could also be really "in" to travelling but that requires mega moola for the type of travelling I want to do!)

2 1/4 Miles

Yep. I ran 2 and 1/4 miles yesterday. Took me 29 minutes (I'm slow). But I did it!!
Ankle is healed!! WOO HOO!! Felt great to run. Felt great to push myself. Felt great to beat my record of running for 20 minutes.
On to 5kms.......

Goose Egg

Ran straight into the wall! (The corner of the wall that is). This picture was taken a few days later. Ouch! Poor baby!

Winter is Here!

The snowdrift behind our house is just about as tall as our fence!

This is the drift in our backyard.

Not gonna lie. I'd rather be in Hawaii.

Saskatchewan Poem

Sometimes in the winter
when it's really chilly
I wish I didn't live here
I think living here is silly.

I've travelled to Hawaii
where it's very nice and hot
only to go back home again
with a single nagging thought:

Why do we live here?
In such cold and barren lands?
With 6 months full of winter
No one understands.

But then we hear the news
of a massive earth quake
In a lovely place like Haiti
it gives my head a shake.

Tsunami, earthquake, volcano
and even hurricane
those things will never touch us
it's just winter that's the pain.

And so in minus 40
for granted I will not take
to be safe inside my house
and free from an earthquake.

My heart goes to Haiti people
and all those who were killed
My prayers will sure be with them
As they try and rebuild

I can't even imagine
what it would be like or how to cope
Let's get together people
and bring these survivors hope.

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