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May 1

average awesome (2)
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how to break free from average (it might involve punching fear in the face)

What is that one thing that you’ve always wanted to do?  Always wanted to accomplish or be “when you grow up”?  We all have something.

There is some dream that you think of every once in a while.  You bring out the dream, maybe a long-lost childhood desire, and look at it.  You turn that dream over and over in your mind, studying all sides of it, and you smile so tempted to bring it out in the open.  But then you remember.  You remember that you are now an adult with commitments, a family, a mortgage, and a job.  So, once again, you shove that dream way back into the recesses of your mind, determined not to think about it again. Read more

Apr 19

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my big naming fail

My name is Heather.  My mom swears she had never heard the name before and named me after a song from Brigadoon, but everyone from my generation is named Heather.  Either that or Jennifer, Michelle, or Melissa.  My roommate in college one year was named Heather as well.  People would call our room and ask for Heather!  It drove us crazy so we would just start talking to whoever it was until they realized it was the wrong Heather (kind of awkward with the boyfriends!). Then, when I started working, my counterpart’s name was Heather.  It got very confusing for the doctors that we called on!

So, when I started having kids, I wanted to name them names that not everyone had.  I completely struck out with my first child.  Read more

Apr 10

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road trip

To anyone who has gone on a road trip or longs to do so:

It’s dark out as you pull your car onto your street.  You pass by neighbor’s blackened windows wishing, for a second, that you too are still in bed fast asleep.  But then you think of what lies ahead.  You remember the road trip and all thoughts of sleep vanish.  You reach for your coffee and punch the gas. Read more

Mar 21

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my rock ‘n’ roll half marathon recap

This past weekend I raced in the half marathon that I had been training for since January 1st!  It was a great time!

Training went well.  I was worried about running in the winter but the weather cooperated for the most part.  There was only one day that I had to do my long run inside on a treadmill because there was no way I was going to run when it was in the single digits outside!  Other than that I, surprisingly, enjoyed getting outside and running in the winter!  I ran in snow, fog, dark (by accident!), with friends, alone, and always with music to push me through.  So, by last week I really felt prepared for the race. Read more

Mar 13

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what winning really looks like

Basketball season ended last week.  It was a great season all around for all of my kids, even my 4 year old.  She learned to dribble the ball while watching all of those practices from the sidelines!  I am proud of the improvements that they all made and joy they had in playing the sport.

I was one of the coaches for my 4th grade daughter’s team.  The term coach should be used very loosely here, but I did what I could (my husband and two other men were the main coaches!).  During the games I had the privilege of sitting on the bench with the girls and rotating them into the game.  It was so much fun!  Here, I had the opportunity to really get to know the girls.  Their true personalities came out as they played ball and watched their teammates compete. Read more

Feb 27

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when are you happiest? (it might not be when you think it is!)

When are you happiest? 

I am happy on a midwinter Sunday afternoon with the thought of a whole day of no commitments stretching out in front of me.  It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does I put on sweats, grab a book or magazine, and curl up on the couch under a blanket.  It’s such a luxury!

I am happy on a warm summer day when I have a few minutes to pull a lawn chair out into the middle of my yard and lay there, eyes closed, soaking up the sun.  (Yes, I know…skin cancer, but nothing feels as good as the sun shining down on you!)

Happy moments also come at a dinner with good friends, family parties, snuggling around a campfire with my kids, listening to what comes out of my 4 year old’s mouth, and racing in triathlons. Read more

Feb 20

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an unlikely adventure

If you have kids I’m sure you know how quickly you can reach that moment; that moment when things suddenly cross the line.

The other day I was home with my kids and things were going well.  The girls had dressed up and were having a tea party and the boys were building robots and swords.  I was curled up reading a book when I heard a sniff next to me.

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I looked up to see my son standing there crying because his brother had made him (made him??) eat a rubber ball and the girls were “being mean”.  I got up at went into the other room to find my youngest daughter holding our 17-year-old cat upside down while her sister had managed to find every single nail polish bottle we own.  My other son meanwhile had decided that the family room was a good place to eat chips.  The room was trashed!   I mean stuff was everywhere.

We had reached the line!

“That’s it” I yelled, “it’s time to get out of here.  It’s time for an adventure.” Read more

Feb 12

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forty days of water

Today I started the day, as always, with a steaming cup of coffee.  There’s nothing better than that first sip of coffee early in the morning.  Clutching a hot cup of coffee just makes me happy!

Tomorrow I will not have my morning cup of coffee.  In fact, I will not have it again for 40 days!  That’s because tomorrow I am starting the Forty Days of Water.  It is a fundraiser during the Lenten season for blood:water mission, which will build clean water projects for communities in Uganda.  During this time I will drink only tap water and donate the money I save by not purchasing drinks to blood:water mission. Read more

Feb 8

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how to make the winter pass quickly

It’s cold in Northern New Jersey.  In fact, we are right in the middle of a snow storm as I write this!  This time of year can seemingly last forever.  Short days, snow and ice, dirty cars, steel grey skies, and fly away static-y hair (my own personal pet peeve) make it feel like winter will never end!  But there is a bright spot for our family.  It’s what makes the winter pass quickly…basketball!

Right now we are smack in the middle of basketball season.  Three of my four kids play it.  My 6th grade son plays for his school and my 4th grade daughter and Kindergartener son play for Upward, an excellent basketball program run by our church.  My husband coaches my daughter’s team.  I am also considered a coach but I basically hang out on the bench with the girls during the games.  We are often at basketball practices and games 4-5 times a week!  But, I love every minute of it!

So, in honor of our winter pastime, I created a Basketball Top Ten.  The top ten reasons why I like basketball… Read more

Jan 30

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slow fade

On a warm spring day this past year we went on a short hike to explore another forgotten building.  We hiked up an old rutted road that was slowly being reclaimed by the forest.   The road climbed and twisted and soon we found ourselves staring up at a whitewashed tree with a huge white owl on a branch!  Had we wandered into a magical wonderland?  No, we had found Outlook Lodge! Read more

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