Two Days

I did my last workout this morning.  There are only two days left until the big day: my triathlon.

It hasn't been until recently that I've been getting nervous.  It's because life has changed a little for me: my stomach is giving me pain on-and-off again, I have swimmer's ear (and a cold!), and worst of all...every day this week it's been dark and chilly outside.  

The bad weather affects me because, obviously, I am about to swim 750 meters in a cold reservoir without a wetsuit, and I am very aware that there's a risk there.  But there's something a little less obvious about the weather that bothers me: when the weather gets sad, I get sad.  It's a littler harder to be cheerful and motivated when Mother Nature isn't either.

This morning as I struggled to motivate myself to run one last time before the race, I almost convinced myself that it wasn't worth the trouble.  But then the thought came to me: 

 "Tiff, GO.  It will feel good on your sick body, you'll feel more prepared for the race, and you'll be suprised at how emotionally healing it will be."  It came out of nowhere, and it was exactly the thought I needed at that moment.

So I ran four miles.


And it did feel good.  It felt amazing.  Endorphins were kicking in, Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady" was playing through my new iPhone, and the suddenly the crisp, cool air, cloud cover and suptle breeze became my best friends. 

(Thank you Sweetheart, for giving me your phone.  I pledge not to drown this one.  

And thank you Haselden, for giving my man a new iPhone and cell phone coverage!)

I think I learned a big secret about me today--and I know what's going to help me feel happier this Winter. 

The cool weather prompted me to do some Fall cleaning and while I was at it...get out Halloween decorations this week!  Some old favorites came out of hiding:

The scarecrow.  My little 15 month-old loves that guy.  I had almost forgotten how much Taylor loved that decoration as a baby until Russell reminded me:

Orange and Black is in the air.  My mom sent the boys some festive clothes a few weeks ago.  I LOVE dressing them up in them...just about the moment those clothes are clean, they're on my little guys.

There's that old familiar couch again. :)  Don't these guys look cute??

As I rotated my kids' seasonal clothing in-and-out of dressers and storage, Andrew finished an exciting project that made my Fall cleaning feel oh SO good:

We have been putting the boys' clothing in an hand-me-down dresser with shallow, broken drawers for over a year now.  

We've also been looking on Craigslist for a replacement for nearly as long, and at long last, FOUND ONE!  It was a gross color and little scratched when we bought it, but with a little paint and elbow grease, voila!  Beautiful new dresser--might I add, on tracks with deep drawers. :)  I love this.  (And I love my hunky, handy hubby, who single-handedly fixed it up.)

I ended today by putting clothes away for the first time in it.  Good end to a day I'd say.