12 in 12 Month 3

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I am a little late reporting on this, but this month’s12 in 12 challenge is: to read at least 60 minutes/day. I usually do, but to elaborate, this means specifically to read something offline. A novel, non-fiction book, even an e-book/manifesto, magazine will count.

I have two books in particular I want to read this month: Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness and The Sisters Brothers . And I still have those To Be Read books to get through!

What are you reading lately?

Filed Under: 12in12, balance, Books, TBR 2012

I drove all the way to Florida to start running again! ;)

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Sometimes it truly takes the right time and place, nothing more.

I have been trying to get motivated to start running again for two months. Over the couple of years, after a lot of challenging circumstances I’d begun to feel as if every time I started on my plan it would be interrupted. I was hesitating big time, with this nagging at the back of my brain. However, I also realized that running has been my saving grace, a therapy so-to-speak, and do I need a saviour right now!

My pain is beginning to improve marginally, but I know that I need to become active again to feel my best, it’s a difficult situation to find yourself in when chronic pain prevents you from doing what makes you feel best.

I often find that embarking on new routines in life are the best time to implement new activities that I want to become routine. This is a time of big change for me, as I move into working-from-home-business-owner, from part-time employee.

While on a semi (mostly) vacation in the sunshine state, I decided to try to bringing running back into my life. I love to run and I hoped that the relaxed (non-existent) schedule and the weather would help to alleviate the stress and the chronic pain. And with this in mind I would cautiously re-introduce an activity I love!

I have also reintroduced some other activities but they contribute to the relaxed state more than anything: a daily swim in the park’s bathwater warm pool, and a soak in the hot-tub.

On my first full day in Florida, after a very long and eventful (read: frustrated with car problems and 2.5 days in delays) road-trip from Nova Scotia, I was stiff and sore, but determined to get out for a run anyway. I set a very relaxed goal of 20-30 minutes at whatever pace felt comfortable, with the caveat that increased pain would shorten the run without guilt.

I managed a very respectable 25 minutes before a sharp pain in my neck/shoulder (my biggest problem area) indicated it was time to stop.

From Feb 27, 2012


I know I need to be very conservative with my goals so I decided I would run every second day IF I felt like I was up to it. Day 2 in Florida, I woke up thinking how incredibly easy it was to run for the first time after 6 months, and how incredibly sore I could feel as a result! I went for a long walk with dad and his dog.

Today was day 3. I managed to get out the door a fair bit earlier (I did have this ambitious idea before arriving at our destination that I’d roll out of bed as soon as I awoke and head straight out the door – that so far has not come to fruition). I ran for 30 mins (which was my goal) without pain! This is huge. I know it doesn’t sound huge, but This Is HUGE!

I’m not sure exactly what needs to happen to keep this up, so I’m going to be cautious. A run every other day for 30 mins, or until pain increases. With an extra rest day once/week (whenever my body tells me that needs to be)… UNTIL I feel confident I am ready to bump things up. Then? We’ll see what comes next – when the time comes.

What works for you when trying to get back into an activity that you love but has been presenting you with challenges?

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

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Filed Under: balance, Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , ,

When is the last time you had a weekend getaway?

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For a mom, there is no shame in getting away from your family and day-to-day obligations once in a while. They just might need a break from you too. 😉 It’s been a long time since I found the opportunity to do so. Last time I tried, didn’t work out as intended.

Everyone gets a little break in the routine when Mommy goes away. The girlies get a break from mommy’s impatient demands… Ian gets a break from all of Mommy’s tossing and turning at night…

This girls’ long weekend to New York has been in the works for far too long, and was indeed much needed. Finding a friend to travel with can be tricky, but luckily we have had other opportunities for shorter road trips (to/from races overnight) before and knew we could travel well together.

We headed out taking the longer more economical route via Toronto. It gave us a chance to catch up and enjoy the hockey team lunch at the airport bar. 😉 After uneventful flights and a short train ride across the river, we found ourselves walking through Times Square on our way to our home away from home.

How lucky were we! We were spoiled rotten by our host with Broadway tickets all four nights of the visit, and fantastic “New York style barbecue” everyday at a different restaurant.

From February 14, 2012

During the day there were sites to be seen and adventures to behold!

Spiderman – Turn off the Dark was truly a spectacular show; Mamma Mia! Was so much fun;

From February 14, 2012

and Rock of Ages was funny and brought you back in time with great music.

A big Off-Broadway show that we were lucky to see is very quirky and hugely popular: Fuerza Bruta.

From February 14, 2012

Now, be assured, family at home were not forgotten, souvenir gifts and photos of things they would love to see in the Big Apple were captured for all.

Some favourite sites included: Central Park,

From February 14, 2012

Times Square,

From February 14, 2012

Grand Central, New York Public Library, Brooklyn Bridge

From February 14, 2012

and Lady Liberty.

From February 14, 2012

One of the most memorable was of course the 9/11 memorial site.

From February 14, 2012

All told Mommy enjoyed the break away, and looks forward to more time to herself in the near future! Perhaps even running under the palm trees of Palmetto, Florida!

Filed Under: 12in12, balance, General, Parenting, Photos, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , ,

Wishing to be a former self?

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Do you have those days when you wish you were your former self in some way? 5 years ago, and 20 lbs lighter a guy once commented on how lean I was. Ya, that kind of wish.

People don’t always believe me when I say it, but it’s true. I am about 20 lbs/9 kg over my optimal weight. Of course once I give the actual weight a number, then it seems plausible. I weigh 80kg/176lbs. I am 5’10” and my weight seems pretty evenly dispersed which is likely why I don’t appear to have any weight to lose.

At the time that I met this guy, I was physically fit, better than I had been in a decade, but I was also coming off of a very negative split with my ex-husband during which time I threw myself into training for a half-marathon for the first time ever … as a way of coping with my stress. The stress effects my appetite and I likely also lost some of the extra weight I’d been carrying around simply because I wasn’t eating well, and because that’s what my body seems to do when I’m stressed.

Since my pain has gotten worse and my stresses have increased again I haven’t been very active. While I’d like to be that 20-lb-lighter-self, what I really want is to be that trained-for-a-half-marathon-self.

This goal is part of my one year plan. Feeling vibrant and healthy again! Training for events that motivate me. And let’s face it, having an attractive man I don’t really know tell me how lean I am wouldn’t be the worst thing either. 😉

Do you have a plan? I’d love to hear about your goals!

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

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Filed Under: balance, Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , ,

12in12 challenge / Month 2 / Day 1

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Today was Day 1, Month 2 of the 12in12 challenge. February is make and share one photo-a-day. I just finished a month of walking daily, and so today’s photo is of my wet walking boots drying by the fire.

Filed Under: 12in12, balance, Photos Tagged With: , , ,

2012: 4 weeks gone by! #12er (12in12 challenge) – Day 28

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I want to provide a little update on some personal items.

From 2012-01-27

My core values for my life [Joy Equation]

For those who don’t know me outside of this little blogosphere, and for some who do, you may not realize that I have been off work, since before my mother’s passing, on sickness leave. I have a chronic pain condition called fibromyalgia. I blogged about it here before, but the general idea is that it’s a disease effecting soft tissue that causes moderate to debilitating pain, depending on many factors. Stress is a huge trigger for pain flare-ups, and things only got worse before they started to get better. It’s been a real battle for me over the past year.

I’ve been working hard at a number of things that I hope will help me get back to a healthy state of being. Most of these activities are things anyone could and likely should do to simply live a better life without regret. Mom taught me that this really is the most important thing to keep in mind in life. Will I regret this one day?

So, the main projects I have been working on towards change in my life are getting back into a regular routine of physical activity, trying to find a healthy way of grieving, bringing more joy into my life, appreciating all of the great things that I have in my life, learning new and better ways of being, and making small accomplishments towards bigger achievements. I’m trying to live each day like it’s my last.

We just never do know.

I signed up for a few challenges this year that I hoped would provide me with some motivation. So far it has worked.

The two big things I am accomplishing right now:

I am nearing the end of a successful first month of the 12in12 challenge, for which my goal in January was to walk 30 mins./day.

I have also been taking a class offered by Molly Mahar about bring more joy into your life. I am completing all of the exercises and really loving the introspection involved. I am going to confidently move forward in my life this year making big happy changes!

The biggest change will likely be one I just made official today. I am starting my own business, which will launch in March. As soon as I have a website to share, I’ll pass it along and fill everyone in! 🙂

So that’s my 4 week update. I’d love to hear yours!

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

Filed Under: 12in12, balance, General, Health & Fitness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Here on Earth – a review – #tbr2012 #50bookpledge

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This year I have taken on a few challenges to help me meet a few of my goals, as I posted previously one of them is the 2012 To Be Read challenge. I am reading 12 books this year that have been on my to be read shelf(ves) for more than a year.

I completed my first one this week! I am so excited. This has also allowed me to complete book number 4 of the 50 book pledge!

Here On Earth by Alice Hoffman was one of Oprah’s picks on her show. I’ve been told of mixed reviews of it, but I truly enjoyed reading this book. There is something a little dark about it that reminded me of Steinbeck’s East of Eden (my all time favourite book). The portrayal of domestic violence/woman abuse was pretty eye-opening for those who may not have thought about it much. Without giving the story away, I felt the ending was appropriate in that this could have gone on and on, if she wanted it to mirror real life scenarios (where women leave (and return) an abusive relationship an average of 7 times before leaving for good).

A fairly quick read of a dark romance.


Filed Under: 50BookPledge, balance, Books, Reviews, TBR 2012, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

What would mom say? And a small #12er update

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I thought about mom so much today. And yet, I felt I had very little time to think of her at all.

I screwed up my baking and knew mom would have a good laugh with me about it. Reminding me that I usually prove to her that I did not get my baking skills from her. That it was likely just a hiccup in an otherwise wonderful talent.

There is so much happening that I wish I could talk with her about, from challenges with family, to my plans to get back into a good state of health. I’d love to share all the little details of the business I am considering, to hear her thoughts of what I could do to make it my own.

I want her to walk through the door with her exaggerated exclamations at all of the progress we’ve made in settling into our new home. She’d ask after my 12in12 challenge, and how my quest for greater joy in the big picture of life is going. She’d offer me encouragement at my set-backs and bad pain days, and she’d share with me how she feels/felt the same way sometimes. Mom would find the little celebrations, like how I’ve managed to walk everyday (yippee, today is day 25!), and she’d wonder at how fortunate it is that we bought that treadmill.

Mom would remind me, as if I might have forgotten, of what a good man I have found in Ian. How she knows he only wishes for my happiness, and that I only have to ask and he’ll do everything in his power for me. She’d point out all of the things she’s noticed about how he’s taking care of me, of us, of our family. She’d share again her happiness at our marriage and assure me that she was there with me cheering us on.

She just couldn’t hold on any longer.

She’d be saddened at how some things have unfolded since her passing. But she’d assure me that one can only do so much, and that I have to take care of myself, so that I can take care of those precious not-so-little-anymore girlies. She’d remind me that she’s here in all the wonder of life around us. She’s watching over and keeping an eye on dad out there all by himself.

Mom would ask after the books I am reading, and whether I’m still enjoying the book club. She’d ask after my friends. She’d tell me how much she’s enjoyed my photo projects and the annual family photo calendar I created and gave them again. Mom would have so much to say and ask of me, while as always sharing very little about herself.

The one thing she’d tell me of herself is how much she’s aware of my heartache and that she wishes she could take it away for me. She’d tell me that she remembers how hard it was when she too lost her mom far too young. When she’d had to comfort her children who’d lost their Nanny too soon, and look out for her dad on behalf of everyone, including her mom. She’d want me to be comforted in knowing that she eventually grew to accept her loss, and that I too would come to live on in her absence – finding joy in all of the little things and even more in all of the big things.

Mom would remind me that she’ll be here with me/us in every new dawn.

And for that, I thank you, mom.

Filed Under: 12in12, Cancer, Parenting, TBR 2012, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , ,

50BookPledge/Book1: “Knit the Season”

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50BookPledge/Book1:

“Knit the Season” – Kate Jacobs

~a review

As part of the #50bookpledge I am going to review every book I read in 2012 with BIG hopes of reading and reviewing 50 books this year.

This is the first of the print books I have finished, however I do have a couple of ebooks I read this week and also intend to review.

Knit The Season was the third book in a series/trilogy(?) of a knitting club brought together by the fabulous Georgia Walker. Each book has its side stories of the different characters involved and how their lives are all intertwined, initially due to their relationship with Georgia. Friday Night Knitting Club was the first and by far my favourite. Something seems to be lost in each proceeding book, with Knit Two and then “Knit the Season”. However, if looking for a light friendly read. These are great ones to pick up.


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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

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Filed Under: 50BookPledge, balance, Books, Reviews Tagged With: , ,

12in12, Day 9 – Photowalk

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Another Momstaxi service day and therefore a day in which I need to multi-task, so I head out with girlies, camera bag, laptop bag and purse. Once they are safely delivered to the dance studio I head out for a walk, promptly, forgetting my camera bag in the car. So the photo walk will have to be carried out via tablet cam. Worked out well enough I think.

From 2012tabpix
From 2012tabpix
From 2012tabpix
From 2012tabpix
From 2012tabpix
From 2012tabpix

From 09/01/2012

After the walk I treated myself to a latte and pumpkin bread, relaxing with my book at the Second Cup. Turned out to be a pretty good evening.

Do you find it necessary to fit your personal commitments in around your family too? What is your best trick for sticking to the plan?

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, Facebook fanpage, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

Filed Under: 12in12, balance, Photos Tagged With: , , , ,
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