Time to Jingle!

It's that time of year again!! Time for the annual Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk for Arthritis. This will only be my second year participating, and I am very excited :)

I last walked in 2009, just 8 weeks after I had my second hip replacement surgery. My doctors and therapists said that I would have no problem walking a 5K in that amount of time post-op. But considering the fact that when I had my first hip replaced in 2011, I was using a walker for a good two and half months, I was skeptical!

It was great incentive to work really hard in physical therapy, though.

I walked with a cane decorated like a candy cane, it started to snow less than half way through, and I came in second to last. But I didn't care - it was an amazing experience. My friends came out to support me (some of whom I hadn't seen in years, and some who had to drive an hour in the snowy weather!), I raised a pretty good amount of money for the Arthritis Foundation, and... I MADE IT!

This year, I expect the walk will garner some of the same emotions -- friendship, good will, accomplishment, help and hope. But, I hope I can at least finish 3rd to last this time! ;)

Please visit my fundraising page to donate to this great cause!

Disjointed December...

Whew! I'm finally sitting down to write on this last day of December, and the final sunrise of 2010. It's has been a crazy month -- traveling, shopping, celebrating, etc. I have felt surprisingly out of sorts without having the time to organize my thoughts here. I am so happy to be back!

The Saturday after Christmas, we packed up the boys and drove to Orlando, Florida and Walt Disney World. It was a 15-hour trip, and suffice it to say, long in many ways other than just duration. But, we did have a fantastic week at WDW, and this time the boys have drunk the Kool-Aid. They were just old enough to really appreciate every last bit, but young enough to really feel the magic (Disney magic = something you feel as a young'un, sometimes lose as a teen, but get it back as an adult!). More on our trip later.

After we got back from Florida, the Christmas season was in full-swing! I felt so behind, it was as if I'd woken up late and couldn't catch up with the rest of the class. We lost one weekend in December traveling back home, so we were forced to fit a month's worth of Christmas fun into only two weekends (it didn't help that Christmas fell on a Saturday). We went to the tree farm, decorated the house, rode the Christmas train, and did all of our gift shopping in what seemed like a whirlwind....all for the big day, which, as it always does, passed by in the blink of an eye.

All in all, December was a crazy month in which we didn't slow down even for a minute. I am so ready for 2011...I am looking forward to spending the winter getting organized, sharing some downtime with the family, and we are fortunate to have many exciting things to anticipate in the new year. Happy New Year, everyone!