Jul 31, 2010 Posted in Contest, Sports, personal care | View Comments

Eight Miles and Lip Gloss

I know some of you might think these two things could not possibly have anything to do with one another, but I am here to tell you, they are related. Well, at least in my world. About 7 miles in to my 8.12 (yes, I am breaking it down like that) mile run, I wished more than anything for something to moisten my lips. Fortunately I had my hydration belt, but I kept having to put some water on my lips.

I will say though, I am very proud of myself (yes, I know. I shouldn’t be.) for running that many miles. I had been stuck in a 3-4 miles at a time rut, and the long weekend runs are really helping me to believe that Saturday’s 6.55 mile race will be a walk in the park in spite of getting off an airplane around midnight. Hey, 6 hours of sleep… OK, let’s be honest, I told the coach that I would be deciding at the start line just how fast I am going to run knowing that I am getting very little sleep. I will, however, be pre-hydrating like mad. It’s hot out there. Look for some cool Friday Feature’s though as a result.

So…the lip gloss. I went back to the post announcing the contest and added everyone’s name in the order of the comments on the posts. I wanted to do it chronologically, but I lost track. Sorry.

1. Erin
2. Carrie
3. Elita
4. Erin
5. The RHOK
6. Georgie
7. Elita
8. Elita
9. Alexandra
10. Elita
11. Alexandra
12. Elita
13. Carrie
14. Erin

I like comments, so let me take a break here to thank each and every one of you for taking time out of your days to visit my blog and comment. I feel the love.

I wanted to have TB pick a name from a hat, but Kevin took him to the Aquarium this morning. Therefore, Random.org it is.

The winner…

Congratulations Erin!

Jul 30, 2010 Posted in Exercise, Friday Feature, Sports | View Comments

Friday Feature: Tiger Tail versus The Stick

Now, before anyone gets a wild idea, these are both therapeutic tools for muscle massage. In other words, they allow you to give yourself a massage instead of trying to see a massage therapist every day.

Prior to last week, I would have definitely only written about The Stick, but I won an 18″ Tiger Tail, and I love it at least as much as The Stick. Here’s my breakdown.

The Stick: What I really like about the stick is that the individual plastic rollers can really dig in and in some ways, the stick is more flexible than the Tiger Tail, so if feels like it is able to wrap around muscles. The downside is that it pinches and often times leaves me wishing for a foam roller to dig in deeper, especially when there is a specific spot I want to hit.

Tiger Tail: Kevin has the longer Tiger Tail, and I don’t really like it, as I always felt like it didn’t roll smoothly. Now that I have the shorter one, I think his was just too long for me. The length changes the angle at which you push, and therefore impacts the smoothness of the roll. Unlike The Stick, the Tiger Tail has only one piece that rolls, so there is not any pinching. Also, Tiger Tail is firmer than The Stick and doesn’t seem to ever bend out of place. It also is able to work my knots over more smoothly, and it gives excellent neck massages with one hand. Kevin’s Tiger Tail has held up much better than The Stick (we share the stick, and now we each have our own Tiger Tail).

Overall, I have to say, I like the Tiger Tail better, but both are good products. I used the Tiger Tail after my 7.5 mile run Saturday and noticed a difference in my recovery. I did not feel any ill-effect of the long hilly run Sunday or Monday, which was nice. I also have been using it on my IT band, as it has been a little tight, and Monday morning I ran without any IT pain for the first time in over a week. If you are even casually in to fitness, these products can really help.

I plan to use my Tiger Tail to help me warm up Saturday (scheduled run of 8 miles), as Kevin tells me they are very useful in that area as well!

Both options are small enough to pack in a suitcase, though the Tiger Tail is a bit heavier than The Stick.

Do you use a similar product? What do yo like or not like about it?

Jul 29, 2010 Posted in Environment | View Comments

FAQ: What do I do about “necessary” disposables?

Carrie asks, “What do you do about “necessary” disposables. Like toilet paper, cotton swabs and the like?”

This is one area where I think I am falling behind. I dislike using disposables. While TB was in cloth diapers, I would often times use a cloth on myself (as I did him) instead of toilet paper, because I was already doing the laundry. However, those days have past, and we have gone back to toilet paper, though we now use recycled unbleached toilet paper. It’s a little rougher, but it does its job.  On the other hand, I could easily do a load of laundry a week of cloth wipes, and maybe that should be one of my future challenges?

As for cotton swabs, I don’t generally use them often, though I LOVE the way they feel. (Shh…don’t tell the doctor.) However, Rebecca pointed out a week or so ago that I should be using ear wax softener drops, so I will be checking that out in the near future. Ehow has some home made natural methods that I intend to try first though.

Other than those two, I cannot think of many disposable products that I still use. Those that continue to stick around include: wax paper, parchment paper, aluminum foil (I try to reuse it some), press and seal (again, I reuse it), and a few plastic bags for storing vegetables and the like (which I also wash and reuse).  With all of the products, I try hard not to use them. I use reusable (cloth) bags to bring sandwiches and wraps to work, for example, but sometimes it is necessary.

How about you? What disposable items do you use? Have you found any alternatives I should try?

Jul 28, 2010 Posted in Getting to know me, Pictures | View Comments

Wordless Wednesday: Me and “The lip gloss”

OK. Not so wordless. The following is a photo of me in the same color of lip gloss I am giving away!

Jul 27, 2010 Posted in Basketball, Getting to know me | View Comments

A Season and Basketball

I have started and stopped writing this post many times mostly because I do not want to sound like I do not enjoy my life, but it is time to be honest. Sometimes being the wife of a basketball player is a challenge. Very few times are harder for me than this time of the year. It is an easy time to get down on all that is going on, and I have to be especially careful not to allow resentment to fester in my heart.

I know some of you are thinking, “what is this woman talking about?”

Allow me to explain.

We are entering prime signing time for basketball. Even when Kevin was younger, he didn’t tend to sign until late-July to early August. The past two years he has signed in October and November…and not in Europe, but the Middle East. Waiting for “the call” is always a challenge, but some years are harder than others. This year is one of them. Part of it is my own health issue (more on that later this week), but part of it is the fight within me to trust that things will work out. In other words, the action-researcher/planner part of me allows the lack of action on my part to feel unnatural and manifest itself in discontent. Plus, Kevin has been home since February, which has been nice except for the unemployed part. (It’s definitely a year to praise God that I am also employed!)

In the past seven years of doing this (wow!), I have learned to cope with each season (and this is but one) differently, and like I said, some are harder than others.

One thing this off-season has reinforced for me though:

• Nothing is a given. Life can change at any time, so it is best that I not hold on too tightly to what I plan for the future.

Kevin’s surgery ensured that lesson was ingrained on both of our minds and hearts, but it also makes this signing season even more stressful for both of us. All we can do is wait… tic toc. OK, Kevin also works out.

What reoccurring life event is a struggle for you?  Remember…each comment is a chance to win the 100% Pure lip gloss.