This post brought to you by Runners' High!

Yes, Runner's high indeed!  If you have ever been a runner, or played sports, then you may know what I'm talking about!


(For those of you who don't, the official definition: a feeling of euphoria that is experienced by some individuals engaged in strenuous running and that is held to be associated with a release of endorphins by the brain; Merriam-Webster told me so...) Haha, after reading this I also realized that it is said the same endorphin release happens when people get tattoo'd. Fortunately, running is cheaper and generally less painful. I wish runner's body was just as permanent as a tattoo though... :)


Lately I have been running, a lot.  I have been training to complete the Shamrock Run in Portland, which is this Sunday!  I am signed up for the 8k (which is about 4.97 miles).  Somehow, between the time I signed up for the race in January and now, I had somehow convinced myself that an 8k is 5.97 miles. So, long story short, I have been running lots and pushing myself to get up to about 6 miles for a comfortable run.  I went to the race website today and found myself pleasantly surprised that I am ready to run 6 miles, rather than just 5.  Whew!  That makes me feel better, but also makes me feel SUPER PROUD of myself!


When I am running a longer distance, I find my mind wandering.  I often try to plan out blog posts. I entertain myself by writing them out in my head, about how good it feels to run, what emotions I go through, and what I might change for next time.  But by the time I get back, I forget to sit down and type it out. It's probably a good thing though, if I tried to write after a run I may find myself over-using the (!) with every sentence, and rambling about random things.


So, with the race being this weekend, I need a new race to sign up for... suggestions?! (Dave says half-marathon... I told him I would think about it...)

I'm back!

Yes, yes, I know.  I haven't been blogging.  At all.  Well with the wedding coming and going quickly... and all the events leading up to it, and all the plans we had after it... it was just super busy.  Still is.  I will wait until we get our pictures back to be reminiscent (which should be by the end of the month...)  So until then... here's what is going on...

We had a romantic weekend in Cannon Beach for our "honeymoon" a few weeks ago (it was also to celebrate that a year ago we got engaged... at the beach...)  Our good friends Jody and Brian Page got us the weekend as a wedding gift.  They were in Seaside the same weekend, celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary (it's the day before our wedding).  We spent Saturday night with them watching the Beaver game on TV and going to dinner.  It was super fun!

Dave found multiple items with lighthouses in the bathroom at Brian and Jody's condo in Seaside

Haystack!

The next weekend was Halloween weekend.  I ended up being a zombie "Cheerio" (the cheerleaders from Glee... I LOVE Glee!  I want to be able to bust out in song like they do...)  And Dave was zombie "business man."  We had friends over for a fun little shindig.  I even baked 4 dozen pumpkin cupcakes for the occasion and decorated them all cute!

Dave said this picture was really scary... :)

As many of you know, I am the manager of a local coffee shop, which keeps me extra busy.  It was an honor to find out that readers of the Mid-Valley Newspapers voted Coffee Culture as "Best Coffee Shop" in all the land!  The sign below is now proudly posted in our front window.  (Side note that might make you smile:  we are now serving eggnog.  I tried to resist as long as I could.  I had a sweet older woman ask me today... "Do you have... well, I guess it may turn to scrambled eggs, but could you make an eggnog steamer?!"  It was the customer quote of the day.  And the answer is yes, we can make them. No, it won't turn into scrambled eggs.  Yes, it is delicious, especially with whip cream on top.)



Dave and I have made it to a few home football games.  Lucky for us, we know people.  Lots of people.  For the Stanford game, we were given really close seats on the 50 yard line.  It was a great game, even though we should have won. :(



Finally, the Subaru has been fitted with new "shoes."  Instead of the playful, summer-y gold wheels that were on before, she now wears these WRX, gunmetal grey wheels, equipped with winter tires and black lugs.  Some of you may have heard that I sold my car (BIG sad face).  I knew it was time to give her up, and we only need one car right now anyway.  So now Subbie is my daily driver and Dave gets to drive... I mean ride... his bike to class.  I did, however, get him some really nice rain gear with the money I got from selling my car, and I let him drive whenever we go anywhere together.


So that's what's up.

I also had the idea to start a barista blog... just to catalog all the crazy things that happen to me every day... we will see... I can barely keep up with this one!