Friday, January 8, 2010

merry christmas and happy new year! (a little late!)

we had a wonderful christmas at the williams' house! unlike a lot of people, i wasn't glad when christmas was over! i loved every minute of it! morgan got a TON of stuff - and she knew it too...after seeing all that santa got her and opening all of her presents from us, she said "yall got me too much!" which is crazy coming from the girl who wants everything she sees a commerical for - even boy toys. she'll say "i want one of those, but a girl one"
do you think she got too much? the gifts on the right are from santa, and the wrapped presents are from us. not pictured is her v-smile from santa, which was hooked up to the tv.



here are a few pics of morgan trying out her first "big girl" bike




after all of the excitement of christmas morning, morgan left us for about a week to spend time with her dad. so we had plenty of time to clean, organize and "de-christmas" the house. for new year's eve, with bo having to work new year's day, we didn't make it until midnight. we did watch the ball drop in new york at 11 (bo barely made it!) and at midnight i was rudely awakened by fireworks.

as far as new year's resolutions, the only one i could come up with was to be a better housekeeper. actually, my first thought was to hire a maid, but bo quickly shot those dreams down! this is probably the first year ever that i don't have a goal of losing a certain number of pounds, or trying to eat healthier, or trying to exercise more. i feel like i'm the healthiest i've ever been. i am at a healthy weight, i drink mostly water (no caffiene at all) and eat fairly healthy.

also, i have taken up running, and i love it!!! i always thought i wasn't able to run. i had sort of tried before and it hurt my ankles and legs. i just thought i couldn't do it. but i started doing a couch potato to 5k program late in the summer and have just increased from there. i did my first 5k on oct 31st and i believe my time was 34 minutes and 21 seconds or so. i was the last runner to finish, but i beat all of the walkers!!! which brings me to my 2010 goal: run a half marathon!!! actually, my goal is to run a half marathon before i turn 30 (which is in july of this year). there is a half marathon in new orleans at the end of february. i think it would be tough to be ready for 13.1 by then (the farthest i've run so far is 6 miles) and we'd have to get a hotel. so it looks like i'm shooting for the marathon makeover half marathon in ridgeland on june 12th 2010!!!
i am so excited at the prospect of completing a half marathon. i always admired runners and always wished that i could run. being able to run 6 miles is something i never imagined in my wildest dreams, much less 13.1! and i can't wait to go to fleet feet after the race and by my 13.1 decal for my car. and who knows, maybe i'll shoot for the full 26.2 next time!

i'll keep updating my running progress. if there's anyone who is reading this who wants to try running, i highly recommend it! even if you say you "can't run" - i say you can! good luck!

3 comments:

  1. Hey Ashley!! It's Hope Richard, Ridge's mom! I came across your blog from Allison Cauthen's blog!! I am really inspired about your running!! I do say i "CAN'T" run, but i know i can if i just do it?? HELP!! How do i get started, where do i pull the inspiration from??? I so want to be a runner and loose about 30(baby) pounds!!!! Again, i am truly inspired by your words and would love to hear more!!!!!!

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  2. hey hope!! i know who you are :-) i read your blog too! (i can't believe someone actually read and commented on my blog!!)

    for me, i just started with the couch potato to 5k program - just google it, and you will find the plan. i only made it to week 3 or 4 and then i started branching out on my own, just to see how far i could go. i started running with roianna and she helped me get to 1 mile the first time. i made it 1 mile, then 2, and now i'm up to 6. i just got super motivated i guess!
    i run around the new track at bishop and lamar. it's 1/2 a mile and i just tell myself i can't quit until i finish a lap and then i just keep going!
    i couldn't do it without my ipod!

    i also read about other people running on blogs and articles on running websites and i just think, "if they can do it, so can i" and that inspires me. and i think back to when i couldn't even run for a full minute, and realize how far i've come. it makes me want to do more!

    i'm not really doing it for weight loss. i'm doing it because i want to run farther and longer than i did the last time. i'm sure it will help you lose weight, but bo and i actually lost 55 pounds combined doing weight watchers - with no exercise. i didn't start running until after we had lost the weight.

    Good luck!!! and feel free to ask any questions!!

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  3. i should also add that we watch "the biggest loser" religously and the contestants inspire me as well! that they can go from being obese to running a marathon in 6 months is just amazing!

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