My Running Journey Part 3 {Treadmill or The Open Road?}

Today begins week three of my Running Journey Series.  If you missed the first two posts earlier this month, don't worry you can find links to them at the end of this post.

So, let's tackle the age-old debate of treadmill verses the open road.  I'm sure you have a strong preference when it comes to running inside on a treadmill, or hitting the great outdoors.  I used to, but I'm honestly split down the middle when it comes to choosing my favorite.

THE TREADMILL

I have three reasons for actually loving the treadmill.  I know some people despise them, but I'd be lost without one.  Here's my argument in behalf of treadmills everywhere.

1.  I CAN RUN YEAR-ROUND

I live in a very wintry place, and as much as I love the beauty of winter, I don't love the often-single-digit (sometimes below zero) temperatures at 6:30 in the morning.  My husband leaves for work at 7:15, so I have to be done running by then.  If I don't get my running done first thing in the morning, then it just doesn't happen, and in the winter it's just too dark and cold to be out running at that hour.  The days I'm a bit frustrated on the treadmill feeling like I'm a rat running on wheel, I just look out the window at the pitch darkness and frost and I'm not so harsh on the old treadmill.

2.  I CAN CHALLENGE MYSELF

Right now I'm lucky to live down the road from the perfect running hill, but that hasn't always been the case.  Ever since I did Ragnar and had an entire uphill leg, I've loved having a hill somewhere in my run.  When you're running outside you can't just make a hill appear out of nowhere.  Sometimes your only option is a nice flat road.  I love the treadmill because I can instantly increase the incline and have a hill whenever I want.  I can do a small hill for a long time, or a big hill for a short amount of time.  I also love the fact that I can challenge my pace on the treadmill.  I find myself getting a bit lazy when I run outside, and letting my pace lag a bit.  On the treadmill I set my pace at a good, challenging speed and try to stick with it my entire run.

3.  I GET TO WATCH MY SHOWS  

I have three shows that I have a hard time living without.  I used to watch my shows at night when they were on TV, but because I'm a bit of a busy body, I honestly had a hard time justifying sitting for an hour three times a week, and just watching something.  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that!  But for me, it wasn't working out.  As I was running one morning I was hit with a brilliant idea.  I realized I can't really do much while on the treadmill, so why not use that for my TV time?  Not only does that free up an hour of my time at night, but it's totally motivating to get out of bed and hit the treadmill when I know I can see if Joel is going to get his act together and be the nice, kind, loving husband he's always been to Julia, or not.  Any Parenthood fans out there?

In case you're wondering, here are my three shows.  I know there are many other great shows out there, but I don't even let myself get started on them.  Three keeps me plenty busy.  You can click on each image to learn more about each show.

THE OPEN ROAD

I feel like I don't even have to argue the case of running outside like I do running on the treadmill.  I'm pretty sure most people would rather hit the open road than be stuck inside on a treadmill.  So, for me it all comes down to one reason (and that one is all I need) for hitting the open road.

1.  THE BENEFITS OF BEING OUT IN NATURE

There is nothing more calming, rejuvenating, refreshing, inspiring, thought-provoking, and enjoyable as being outdoors.  I love the combination of nature and exercise. There's nothing quite like it, especially when your views look like the one below.  I know I'm spoiled to be able to be call this my running route!

View Atop My Running Hill (Memorial Hill, Midway, Utah)

So, I really do have to say I love having the best of both worlds.  I wouldn't be the runner I am today without my treadmill because it's allowed me to challenge myself, and be consistent with my running year-round.  But I can't replace the experiences I've had while running outside.  There are so many life lessons you can tie to running and being outdoors.  It seems like every time I run outside I have another major "ah-ha!" moment.

Maybe you don't have the option of a treadmill, and outside is your only choice, or maybe you live in a big city and a treadmill at the gym is the only way you'll get your running done.  It really doesn't matter, how you do it.  Find what works best of you, your schedule, your surroundings and do it!

  Here are the links from weeks one and two in case you missed them.

My Running Journey Part 2

My Running Journey Part 1

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Organizing Pinterest Board {Again}

Some of you may remember I posted my organizing Pinterest board back in September.  I'm not sure what I was thinking when I posted it.  Who's motivated to organize in September?  I'm thinking January is a much more appropriate month.  

Follow Brooke @ blissfulroots.com's board Organization on Pinterest.

Anyway, don't worry if you did see it in September because I've added a ton more pins this month, so there will be lots of new ideas to check out.  I've got a lot of projects I need to get started on!  
Happy organizing!

Click here to see all of my Pinterest boards, and follow along.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

There Will Be Miracles Printable

You may remember a few months ago I did a post about our little nephew, Ben.  He was diagnosed with leukemia in November.  He's been going through chemo.  The first round did nothing for the cancer.  The second did, and he was in remission.  He just underwent his third round to get rid of any cancer so he could be ready for the bone marrow transplant he's in need of.  That was to happen the first of next month.

Life can change in an instant.  Today Ben's in CVICU (cardiovascular intensive care unit) with heart complications.  His heart has suffered some damage and needs to be strong enough to continue with his treatment and bone marrow transplant.  The next two weeks are critical for him.  Doctors say they've never seen a heart as damaged as his recover enough to continue with cancer treatment.  Little Ben needs a miracle!  He's been such a fighter over these past months, and has made such progress.  His parents are tremendously strong, and have faith in miracles.  As do I!

Is he not the cutest thing ever?  This picture was taken several weeks ago.  He's still adorable as ever, but has a lot less hair now.  Any extra prayers in Ben's behalf would be greatly appreciated.  His mom apologized on Facebook yesterday for asking, yet again, for more prayers for Ben.  I hope she knows that it is an extra special blessing to have such purpose in prayer, and to unite our demonstrated faith in such a worthy cause.  Miracles WILL happen!  We love, love, love you, Ben!

So, in Ben's honor today I have a miracle printable for you.  Thanks to my new favorite app, Rhonna Designs, this printable came together in a matter of minutes.  Which is good because my blogging time has been cut short due to the family concerns over the past few days. 

I always tend to lean towards grays in my printables, but wanted to venture out and use a bit of color today too.  So choose which one fits your fancy.  Enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

UPDATE
Unfortunatley, allowing you to print this printable by Rhonna's App is in violation of the EULA.  You can use my image as a guide to create your own.  Sorry!

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Chia Seed Pudding

Today begins week two of my Healthy Breakfast Series.  Last week, I shared a recipe my sister gave me for healthy oatmeal muffins.  Apparently we're all looking for more healthy breakfast (or any meal) options because they were a HUGE hit!  I'm so glad.  And hopefully some of you out there have tried them, not just pinned them (like I tend to do).  They really are amazing!

The recipe for today comes from Giada De Laurentiis.  My sister has always been a big fan of hers.  My mom had  Giada's latest book (Giada's Feel Good Food) at her house over the Christmas break, and my sister found this recipe in it.  Like I said in last week's post, I'm glad my sister is adventurous enough to try out new, healthy recipes because I'm sure I would have never even considered this recipe on my own.  

When you hear chia, I'm sure you think of Chia Pets, right?   Well, these are the same seeds you would use to grow your pet's green "hair", and apparently they good for more than than just that.  There are amazing health benefits tied to chia seeds.  I found a short clip from The Today Show on YouTube where you can hear about how great they are.  I found another video on YouTube from Dr. Oz (it's a bit long, so I didn't post the link).  He talks about how chia seeds are great for your energy levels.  All good, all around!

This pudding comes together really quickly, but you do need to let it set over night.  It's perfect for breakfast because you can make it the night before, and then have a delicious, healthy meal all ready to go.  Just add some fruit and nuts (Giada uses strawberries and toasted almonds) on top in the morning.  Click here for the recipe.

The first time I tried this pudding I told my mom it reminded me of tapioca pudding.  Then when reading what Giada wrote about the recipe in her book, she said the exact same thing!  So, it must be true.  If you like tapioca pudding, and you'd love some of the health benefits of the chia seeds and Greek yogurt, then you really need to give this pudding a try.  It would also be the perfect companion to the healthy oatmeal muffins I posted last week!  A fun, new, healthy breakfast to try.  

And here's another favorite recipe of mine from Giada.  Her whole wheat pita chips with chive dip.  Yum, yum!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Engaging Activities for The Car {at OSSS}

I know Tuesdays are usually my printable days here at Blissful Roots, but I'm continuing on as a contributor at Or So She Says this year and I switched from the second Monday of each month to the second Tuesday.  So, once a month (the second week of the month) I'll do my printable on Thursday. Clear as mud?

Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite things to keep in the car for my boys to do.  We end up spending a lot of time in the car, don't we?  Between running errands, going to and from school, activities, the minutes add up!  And I don't know about your kids, but car time often equals fighting and arguing time for my boys.  To keep the tempers from flaring, I decided I needed to find some activities to keep in the car so my boys were more engaged rather than enraged.  It's actually proven to be quite successful.  My boys are much happier in the car when they have something to do/distract them, and I'm a much happier mom!

Click here to see my list of over 10 favorite items we keep in our car. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

My Running Journey Part 2 {Set a Challenging Goal And Be Consistent}

If you stopped by last Monday, then you know I'm devoting each Monday in January to a little series about my running journey.  Last week I shared my current running playlist.  Today, I'd like to share with you then one thing that has turned me into a consistent runner of four years now.

I have my best friend, Katie (rock star runner who feels good after marathons) to thank for getting me going on my running habit.  A few years ago, she asked me to be a part of her and her sister's Ragnar team.  Up until that point I had been a very occasional runner, if I could even call myself that.

Wasatch Back Ragnar 2011

She gave me a year's notice, and I'd been wanting to get rid of a few extra pregnancy pounds from my third little boy, so I was brave and said yes.  I have to say I didn't sleep much the night after she asked me.  I'm not sure why, (it was over a year away for crying out loud!) but my mind wouldn't stop.  I know people who jump onto a Ragnar team a few weeks before the race as a replacement, and don't even think twice about it.  Also, let me just say here that everyone and their dog seems to have done a Ragnar race.  It's not like I was embarking on some outlandish quest, but it was a stretch for sure!  And looking back, I realize that's what got me going.  I'd set a challenging goal for myself that required a lot of hard work, effort, and dedication.  That, and I'm not really competitive by nature, but in this case I couldn't help but have a bit of competitive spirit about the whole thing.  I didn't want to be passed by every runner along the way.  I also had some healthy motivation from my teammates.  All the girls in my van, except one, had done Ragnar and marathons before.  Me, I'd done our local 5K 24th of July race once.  I knew I had my work cut out for me, and I wanted to do my best.

So, the morning after Katie asked me to do the race, I got up and ran.  And I can honestly say I haven't missed more than two days in a row since then (except for our Disneyland trip when I counted our walking from sunup to sundown every day as being an adequate workout).  I was half terrified and half driven to not miss a day (when I say not miss a day, I mean running 5 days a week).  It wasn't easy, but I was consistent.  Oh, there is a tremendous amount of power in consistency!  Even if I didn't run far or long every day, I made sure I did at least something.  That way I didn't break my habit of getting up and doing it.

A few months before the race, we met as a team and choose legs.  I ended up with leg 12 (the finishing leg).  Once again, I was given a challenging goal.  My first (of three) leg was pretty much uphill the entire way.  Stress!  But, what did I do?  I began running hills.  I had always been quite proud for running at all, so I never challenged myself with a hill.  But, once again, consistency began to pay off.  I actually started not minding hills.  In fact, I can honestly say I LOVE to run hills now.  I wouldn't want to do it forever, but I enjoy the intensity they provide   I'm a bit of a get-it-done-quickly kind of girl, so running a shorter hill beats a long, slow flat run for me any day.

All in all, the race was an awesome experience.  Like my friend said, when else do six moms get to rid around in a van for two days eating snacks and chattering away like teenagers?  That part was the best!  The actual running wasn't too bad either (minus my no-energy-left-in-any-ounce-of-my-body last leg that had 2 extra miles added to it just a week before the race!).

I haven't done a Ragnar since 2011, but it was the motivation I needed to get going.  I set a challenging goal, I was consistent in my training, and now it's simply become a habit.  And while I can't say I love every minute of my runs, I really do hate when I have to miss a day.  My body is used to it, and I actually crave it!

I feel like I've rambled on and on.  In summary, I just want to say if you need some motivation to get going on exercising, set a good, challenging goal, and be consistent.  I wish I could say I was self-motivated enough to begin my running habit on my own, but I wasn't.  I think most of us are like that.  We need a second party, an external factor, pushing us along in the beginning.  Then, like I said it becomes a habit and it's easier to stick with it.  

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

My New Favorite App {Rhonna Designs}

Just over a week ago my sister-in-law (thank you, Brianne) posted the most adorable Happy New Year's picture in Instagram.  She mentioned she'd used Rhonna Designs App to make it.  She raved about the app, so I wasted no time looking into it.  I'm fairly new to the app world, (I've had my iPhone for less than six months) but I've had enough experience to know that all apps are not created equally.  Well, Rhonna Designs is a grade-A, top-notch, first-on-your-favorite list good!

  I could design with this app ALL DAY LONG!  So many easy, fun possibilities!  I used one of the backgrounds they offer for the picture above, added a hot air balloon, a quote, an arrow, and stars.  I'm in LOVE with their quotes!  Not only are the quotes rich in content, but it only takes one click to make the whole quote appear.  The designing is done for you, you just get to have fun adding it to creative backgrounds or photos.

I CANNOT wait to get some of these printed out.  I've been meaning to make some sort of photo display with my Instagram pictures, and the creations from Rhonna Designs will add the perfect touch!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

UPDATE:  This app is not free.  I'm not sure what happened when I got it on my phone, but I don't remember seeing a price with it, so I assumed it was.  It is listed at $1.99, but it's completely worth that price!