My 5k live tweet!

Last Saturday, Sept. 28,  I participated in the Cougar Chase 5k race, which benefited the Ada City School system.

As usual, I was at the race with my running buddy, Carrie!

5k w/@yankeegirl4life. I hope I don't die! 😁 pic.twitter.com/FDaVRBUlay
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

Because of what ever reason *cough* *ahem* *LAZY* *cough*, I did not train for this race. I knew it was going to be rough, but it was really obvious about 5 minutes in. I went to my to my default training mode, which is to walk the distance between 2 electric poles, then run the next...that is until I came to the 1k mark on the course. At this point, I decided to live tweet my race.

5k live tweet! pic.twitter.com/rLOXglnW66
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

The first water stop was soon after the 1k mark. It was humid, so I was ready for it.

5k live tweet! Aqua! pic.twitter.com/hxSbP6HCPC
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

The course was two laps around Wintersmith Park. Here's the pond/(lake?) just before the half-way point.

5k live tweet! Half-way. pic.twitter.com/D9z7qJTGro
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

The tweet says it all!

5k live tweet! Clearly I should have trained. pic.twitter.com/TkdFOwUkFW
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

After I posted the previous tweet, I was happy to walk upon a former colleague of mine. We walked and chatted for a bit, then...

5k live tweet. Just got rained on…need to pick up the pace!!!
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

Last water stop. I walked a while and enjoyed my water. Again, it was SO HUMID!!! (I was also thinking that my next 5k participation will be to pick up the cups for the runners.)

5k live tweet! Last sip. See you at the finish line! pic.twitter.com/I0po82vbCc
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

I knew my time was going to be horrible, but I knew I couldn't live tweet a 5k without posting a pic of the finish. I was a little apprehensive about stopping for the pic, but I needed it for my post. It also inspired a few laughs. :) After snapping the pic I RAN across the finish because I wanted to finish in under 50 minutes.

5k live tweet! Finish line. pic.twitter.com/KA6wVBzXx8
— tiffany (@_thisistiffany) September 28, 2013

It turns out that I crossed the finish line at exactly 50:00 minutes!

I finished the Cougar Chase 5k in exactly 50 minutes!

I hope my next blog post is just a review of my amazing fast time and some great pics with Carrie, but I am happy with how I had fun with this 5k!

PHOTOS: 2013 Supernatural Convention Photo-ops

2013 Supernatural Convention Photo-ops

I kind of went photo-op crazy this year at the Supernatural Convention in Dallas. Huge thanks to @thisisLaRanda and @NerdsUnite2013 for splitting so many with me!

with Jensen Ackles

with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles

with LaRanda and Jared Padalecki

with LaRanda and Misha Collins

with LaRanda and Matt Cohen

with Mark Sheppard, Misha Collins, Laura, and Mark Pelligrino

with LaRanda and Rob Benedict

with Laura and the "Karaoke Kings" Richard Speight, Jr. and Matt Cohen

Why Team Betty?

Nine years ago my life changed forever. I had to say goodbye to my mother, forever. It was without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life.

a favorite pic of me and my mom I have on a cork board

The four years that followed were tough. I was sad, but most of all I remember being angry. Can you imagine being mad at the world for four years? 

my first race for the cure shirt
is now on my t-shirt rag quilt

I don't remember why, but one day I decided I wasn't going to be mad anymore. I decided that I wanted something good to come from my experience. I chose to join the Operation Bootcamp group I was in to run in the Oklahoma City Race for the Cure. 

I raised money, and ran the race. Although I enjoyed the Race for the Cure event, it was still rather emotional for me. I didn't participate in Race for the Cure the next year. The feeling that I wanted to "do something" never left me, but I didn't know what anymore. So that was that.

my nkotb cassettes

I have been a blockhead (aka BH, New Kids on the Block fan) since I was a teenager.

If you know me AT ALL, you know that I have been lucky enough to watch the NKOTB in concert a few times since their return in 2009. Now those who know me WELL, know that I have "fangirl" tendencies…oh you know, just "reading the news" about my current interests. These fangirl tendencies, in combination with my twitter obsession led me to rememberbetty.com. I found that NKOTB member Danny Wood also lost his mother, Betty Wood, to breast cancer.

Danny & Betty Wood

I don't know the exact history, but I do know that Remember Betty was created and is now a national affiliate for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

For about a year I read tweets from fellow BH's about their Team Betty's fundraising and Race for the Cure events. I asked a few questions here and there, and donated a few dollars here and there. It was becoming clear to me that the opportunity to do something was right in front of me. So last year I went for it! 

I started Team Betty OKC.

Me & Danny Wood in 2009 - Full Service Tour

Team Betty Sweat Pink FUNdraiser

I imagine there's nothing like a 5K run...on a Saturday...in Plano, TX...in June...with Team Betty. I'm a very lucky girl because I get to find out THIS Saturday, June 8! I'm already pretty sure it's going to be the most amazing day ever because I'll have my best running buddy with me, and we are meeting up with Team Betty captain, Tisha! (I also like to call her Queen of Gratitude, and I'm #TeamTisha all the way!)

My FUNdraising page looks a little (lot) sad right now, and I'm on a mission to change it with a FUNdraiser, and FAST. I'm starting as soon as I publish this post, and I'm ending on Thursday, June 6, or whenever I run out of product! (Of course the  FUNdraiser page will be accepting donations past that.)

Edit: 6/8/13 - This FUNdraiser will be extended until all packages are sold.

My FUNdraiser encompasses two ideas. The first is to pay it forward. Choose an option below that you would like me to send to a friend in the United States (or yourself!).  The second is to promote 30 minutes of daily exercise, you know, Sweat Pink! (Plus it is so much fun to get mail!) I have limited quantities so act FAST! 

Option ROUND $10 - 10 available

pink ribbon cut-out jelly bracelet
komen pink "imagine life without breast cancer" bracelet

pink reusable water bottle

5 ponytail holders

komen for the cure 2013 wallet calendar

energy drink mix straw (flavors vary)

Option FLAT $10 - 8 available

pink ribbon cut-out jelly bracelet
komen pink "imagine life without breast cancer" bracelet

flat pink reusable water bottle

5 ponytail holders

komen for the cure 2013 wallet calendar

energy drink mix straw (flavors vary)

I also have Option GREEN to send Happy Mail to the favorite kids in your life!

Option GREEN $10 - 10 available

1 green reusable water bottle (styles vary)

3 coloring sheets

10 colored pencils

3 pixy stix

3 soft peppermint puffs

puffy stickers (styles vary)

Ordering is as simple as 1, 2, 3!

I've enlarged the "fine print" so you can see it. :)

1. 80% of each purchase will be donated to Team Betty Plano.
2. You MUST send in your order to the email provided. It is first come, first serve. Do not order via twitter, facebook, or text. I need all the orders in one location, and email will also provide me with a timestamp. 
3. Buyer pays actual shipping. EDIT: 6/25/13 - FREE SHIPPING in the US! I'm using USPS first class mail. I will provide the actual shipping amount via email.

Bad Weather, Go AWAY!!!

...and DON'T come back another day. I think this sums up what Oklahomans are feeling about the severe weather we've been having the past couple of weeks.

Yesterday there was a huge storm over about 1/4 of the state of Oklahoma. Staying weather aware is part of life here. As I was watching the storm, I realized that there was a major threat for severe weather where my Dad is staying. He and my stepmom, Cindy, are staying in an RV park this week, while they are in town to watch the Women's College World Series. This is them before watching the OU women play on Thursday evening. I really love this pic; they look so happy!

He was texting me from the shelter, but it still made me feel very uneasy. While this was going on, my town, Asher, was in the clear. The circulating storm passed and Dad left the shelter. (I think Cindy stayed for a little while longer, I know I would have!) Dad said two RV's were overturned, but luckily his was unharmed.

*small exhale*

It wasn't surprising that the leading edge of the massive storm started tracking toward my small town. I grab a few items that are valuable to me and then Ricky and I (and Levi) headed to my inlaws house where the storm cellar is located. We are definitely being "weather aware" at this point. It looks like we will just miss the storm...

...so I turn my attention to these two cuties...

...and I send some tweets. (I have the best twitter friends EVER, by the way.)

Back to the weather, we are watching the news and the clouds/lightning outside.The wind is blowing cold air, and then alternatively we would feel a blast of warm air. It was the weirdest feeling. I am thinking the cold/warm air is moving and this can't be good. Shortly after this we loose satellite signal, and we noticed that there were a couple of storm chasers at the end of our road. Since we didn't have news coverage anymore we were tracking the storm on our weather apps, and of course watching the storm chasers. At about the time we see that storm is coming south to us, the storm chasers take off in the opposite direction of the storm. Remember we didn't have TV anymore so we all headed to the cellar. I had never been in a cellar before last night. It was hot down there! The storm had stopped circulating activity and formed a hail core. We waited out the hail storm, watching it track over us on the weather app.

If you stood under the vent you could get a little service. After it stopped hailing we left the cellar and returned to the house. The satellite was picking up the news again. I was so thankful to be safe, but learning of the deaths and flooding in OKC was unsettling. I finally returned home.

Safe.

*full exhale*

the student athlete

The student athlete.

According to Wikipedia, a student athlete is a participant in an organized competitive sport sponsored by the educational institution in which he or she is enrolled.

As a high school science teacher, I interact with many student athletes. It has been my experience that the students are more interested in being an athlete than being a student. I see them, day after day, fulfilling their role as students. Many ask "are you coming to our game tonight?" It's an invitation to come watch them be athletes. I admit, I do not watch as many games as I should, but when I do it is truly something special.

When the students step on the gym floor, baseball or softball diamond, I see what a limited view I have of them as athletes when they are in my classroom. Here, they are participating in something they care about, something that matters to them. I see passion. I see heart. I see skill. It's a different side of the students that I see every day. These athletes are going up against another team, giving everything they have so their own team will emerge victorious. They sacrifice their bodies, often bearing bruises and blood as proof. They are challenged to keep their emotions in check when they make a mistake, get a bad call, or get yelled at by a loose lipped fan. I have seen tears that have broken my heart, and I have seen displays of pure excitement that made my heart jump and my smile go from ear to ear.

You know that something special I mentioned earlier? This is it. Although their interactions with me are the mandatory "student" requirement, I hope these students know the admiration and respect I have for them as athletes, and that I am thankful to be a part of their student athlete experience.

2013, Here I am!

2013.

My year started as I was sitting at a table with my hubby and a few close friends watching a game of dominoes. I got my first kiss of the year from Ricky, as I do every year, and it wasn't long after that I started thinking about resolutions. What changes can I make in my life for a better me?

I thought about it for a few days and I came up with this list.

When I look at this list I can put almost all of the items into two categories. 

Live Healthy

Live healthy. Although eating right and exercising are both very important aspects of living healthy, I'm talking about mental health, too. I find that I get really connected to my electronic devices. I need to step away and actively seek out more time with my family. The "everything is just right" feeling I get when I'm with my family is calming, and I know things are as they should be. I will spend more time with family. 

I have wanted to blog for a long time, but I have been too chicken. I think my writing is not good enough, even though I know I am inexperienced. I have decided that the only way I will get better at writing is to write. So here I am! My goal is to write at least one blog post a month.

Learn to say NO! It's difficult for me to tell people no. I want to help people. I like to help people. The problem is that sometimes I feel that I get asked because they know I won't say no. I have the tendency to spread myself too thin, get behind at work and at home, and I'm miserable. I don't want to be miserable, so I'm going to say NO!

Be happy with what I have.

I like new things. I buy a lot of new things. I buy things that I don't need. I need to get rid of the clutter in my life, and not replace it with new clutter. I need to use up products that I have before buying new.  In general, I want to own less things and be happy with what I have. 

I wouldn't call these resolutions, but a change in how I manage my life. This is my plan for 2013, I'm ready!