Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

De-stressing and a Giveaway!!

March 31, 2015 Kim 33 Comments

We all go through periods of stress and I think it is important to have ways to deal with our stress.

I have 2 primary ways of coping when I’m stressed.

My #1 choice is probably not a surprise to anyone –

Actually any form of exercise/sweat usually helps reduce my stress!!!

My other stress coping strategy is reading!!!

I have loved to read since I was young – I used to spend hours reading!! Lately I get most of my reading done between 11:00pm and 3:00am – when I can’t sleep I read because it shuts my brain off!!!

I like all types of books as long as they are fiction. I read to escape and lose myself in the book!!

And…..I actually know an author whose book is currently in the Top 100 best sellers at Amazon – I even helped them with their Proofreading!!!

~???~NEW RELEASE~???~

SLICK (A Standalone) by author Kristi Pelton Cover Design by: Sommer Stein of Perfect Pear Creative Covers

AVAILABLE NOW

Synopsis: People float in and out of our lives and when you least expect it one person changes everything. Tessa Ashby was abandoned in an East Coast boarding school, merely existing, never truly feeling loved. Before fulfilling obligations her father has sentenced her to, she escapes and breathes eight weeks of freedom in Southern California. Bodhi loves: his music, his body and his buddies…the order is debatable depending on the day. His past taught him to be selective with the people he trusts. Bodhi doesn’t date, and he was lucky if he remembered a woman’s name. He was alone in a world of people. All that changed when an innocent, brown-eyed, smart-mouthed beauty shows up on his doorstep.

Are they answers to each others prayers or will manipulation and deception destroy them?

Slick **This is intended for 18+** People float in and out of our lives and sometimes when you least expect it one… GOODREADS.COM

So, I’m giving away a copy of Kristi’s book!!!

Enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win the #39 book at Amazon.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25112767-slick

BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/SLick-Kristi-Pelton…/dp/B00UR5NQDQ/
Social Media links: Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristi-Pelton-author/491995670885838
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012192.Kristi_Pelton Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kristi-Pelton/e/B00J24DC1Y Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/KristiPelton
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kristipelton/

Uncategorized

Ditching Labels and Stereotypes

March 29, 2015 Kim 65 Comments

A couple weeks ago I wrote a post asking which category you preferred – Skinny or Strong. Dr. J, a contributing writer at Calorie Lab, wrote a comment that really jumped out at me –

“I sorta wish we would drop all this calling anybody anything about their size. Of course as a doctor, I have all kinds of “insulting” medical terms I can use, lol! If y’all start using any of those, we will just devise some new ones ” Dr. J

The more I thought about what Dr. J said the more I realized that I don’t want to have certain labels applied to me – I just want to be the person I am. And, like Jody (Truth2BeingFit) is great about sharing – I am enough – You are enough!!!

I think that if we dropped the labels it would also drop the stereotyping that happens as a result of trying to label/group people.

I truly HATE being stereotyped because every single time I’ve been stereotyped (usually by people who don’t even know me) it has been completely wrong!!!

I think that most of the time stereotyping is far more negative than positive. And, truthfully, there is no need for it. We are all unique individuals who should never be put in a mold just because we might do or say or wear or……a certain thing.

I know that I have been guilty of stereotyping people before but I try very hard to view people as individuals not a label.

Do you think that labels define us?
Have you ever had a negative experience with being stereotyped?

Happy Monday!!!

Kim

Uncategorized

A Few Words Can Wash Away a Funk

March 26, 2015 Kim 48 Comments

This week I feel like I have been in a bit of a funk – just a combination of being tired and a few issues that have been going on awhile.

Since I quit my job almost 3 years ago, I have spent lots of time by myself. Even when I’m working at our venue it is usually just me and my cleaning stuff!!

This week I started thinking about how much my social life was tied to my job and I miss it!!! However, I decided that wallowing wasn’t helping so I should do something about the situation!!!

Then, as I was going through my blog feed I came across something that made my entire day/week!!!

My sister wrote the sweetest post about sisters. In fact, I’m copying it here because it made me so happy (after I finished crying!)!!!

___________________________________________________________________________

Sisters

There is something about sisters…something special…something unique…something only girls understand. “Sister” can mean an actual blood-related sister, a sister-in-law, or even just a friend who is so close you consider her a sister. Whatever definition you choose, there is nothing in the world like a sister. I am lucky enough to have all three of the above definitions apply to my life, but this post is really about only one of those. Kim.

I’ll be honest, when we were young we were not friends. But then, what 16 year old is really friends with her bratty 9 year old little sister? That’s what a seven year difference will do when you’re young. But then we grew up a little, and those seven years didn’t seem like such a big deal. (In fact, at one point someone actually guessed that I was older than her, and I think our ages were 13 and 20.) And then we grew up even more, (you know, became adults!) and it was like that age difference just disappeared. It was awesome!

As adults, we both went through different life changing events at different times, so that pulled us apart again at times (which I think is probably pretty normal). But regardless of that, we have always been there for each other for the big things (weddings, children, etc.). I won’t lie when I say that I wish we were together and could share the little day-to-day things as well, but maybe someday! Regardless, I have always known that I could count on her for anything. There are two specific times when my sister was, let’s be honest, a life-saver to me. The first was my wedding day. Without being asked, she just took charge that day making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there, without me worrying about anything. She helped me get ready (not sure when she got ready!), and was the last one to give me a hug before I walked down the aisle. She made sure everything was taken care of even after the wedding and after we left. And she did all that without being asked.

The second time was after Hadley was born. Unfortunately I had some health complications a few days after we came home, and luckily she was there visiting. I was admitted into the hospital and she, without hesitating, stayed and took care of my less than a week old baby at home. She gave him his first bottle, changed his yucky diapers, got up multiple times during the nights with him, and most importantly loved him. During those few days, I never worried about him being taken care of because I knew he was in very capable hands. And again, she did all that without being asked.

My sister is a rock. Sometimes she has been a rock that I just stepped over and kept going. Sometimes she has been a rock that I have leaned on. But, the older I get, and the more I learn about her and about life, the more I appreciate her and hope I can be like her. She is my big sister…someone I look up to…someone I respect…my friend. I’m lucky that I get to go through life with her.

written by Mandi Lewis @ Live…Laugh…Love…..Lewis

___________________________________________________________________________

The timing of her post was exactly what I needed.

Have you ever read something that turned around your entire mood?
Do you ever spend a week in a funk?

Happy Friday!!!

Kim

Uncategorized

Trails, Roads, Races, Treadmills – Running Is Running

March 24, 2015 Kim 65 Comments

If you’ve read my blog at all you know that I LOVE my treadmill!!! I log the majority of my miles on the treadmill and I rarely race anymore.

This wasn’t always the case for me. I used to hate everything about the treadmill.

I ran competitive track and cross country in high school and college. When I was in grad school (in Alabama) I raced a lot and never once trained on a treadmill.

It wasn’t until after we had Jordan that I converted to being a treadmill runner.

Because of the nature of Chris’ job –

he has always had to be away for varying lengths of time. I didn’t want to share my running (I’m selfish like that!!!) by pushing a stroller so we bought a treadmill. (I’m on my 3rd in 16 years!)

Over the years I’ve learned to love running on the treadmill.
* It doesn’t matter how cold or hot it is outside
* It is never raining or snowing or muddy

this would NEVER happen on the treadmill

* I can always pause for a pit stop without having to duck behind a tree.
* I stay caught up on my DVRed shows!!
* I could run during nap-time, early morning or after the boys were in bed when they were little and couldn’t be left alone and I was doing the single parent gig!

Most of the time I’m perfectly fine with the fact that I am a treadmill runner. However, there are times that things come up that make me question if I really am a true runner since most of my miles are on the treadmill.

I know that there are differences – no wind, not a natural incline, controlled climate…..I try to accommodate for some by setting my treadmill at 1.5 incline for all of my runs and then using the incline for hills on occasion.

I don’t race much these days – mostly because I always raced to win not just to finish a race and the training required for that is more than my body can handle these days since I have had more stress fractures than I can count.

So, sometimes I question whether or not I am a real runner. I know that there are many people who scoff at the treadmill and would say “NO, those miles don’t count.”

However, I know that running is running and it doesn’t matter where you run, how far you run, how fast you run or if you take a picture to document the run – RUNNING IS RUNNING!!!

In my heart I know that I am a runner – I am a treadmill runner and proud of it!!!

What are your thoughts – is all running the same?
Do you run? Where do you like running the most?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Uncategorized

Sometimes a Race Ends up Not Being a Race

March 22, 2015 Kim 119 Comments

Saturday I had big plans!! I was running the Grasslands Trail 50 and I was ready to finally complete 50 miles!!!

I trained well for this race and felt both physically and mentally ready to finally complete a 50!

Since the race started at 6:00 am it was still dark –

It was really dark and since we were in the middle of nowhere (the grasslands) there weren’t any true lights – just our headlights (knuckle lights for me).

About 10 seconds before we started the director said we should have our ankle bracelets (timing chips) – oops!!! So I started a little late since I had to run over and get mine but I wasn’t worried since we had 50 miles.

The first hour or so was horrible – it was so dark and no one could see anything. Hard to follow a trail when you can’t even see. And the water and mud was unavoidable.

This particular area of Texas had a bit of snow a few weeks ago and since the snow melted they have had lots of rain. It rained all of last week.

The trail looked like this

in the good spots. There were plenty of areas that were even worse than this.

I hit 13.1 in around 3 hours – my all-time slowest half marathon and by far the hardest half of my entire life. I tried not to let myself think that I still had 37 miles – I just focused on finishing one mile at a time.

Around mile 16 it got to the point that I was doing more walking than running because of the conditions and the number of times that I had slid and stumbled thanks to the huge amount of mud on my shoes.

My feet stayed wet and muddy, the temperature never got above 50 and I was cold. Not once did I warm up. My breathing was hard even though I was walking more than running and when I could run it was slower than my cool down miles usually are.

Basically there was nothing about this race that I enjoyed!! I was miserable and didn’t even feel like it was a race – just something to be endured. I was afraid that I was going to end up seriously hurting myself – thankfully I only took one major fall!

Finally I got back to the main area (around mile 19) before starting the next loop (there were 4 different loops plus an out & back) and I told my sister that I was done.

You can tell that there wasn’t a single happy thought running through my head.

I think more than anything I was upset because I trained to run 50 miles and I was ready to run 50 miles!! What I wasn’t ready to do was slog through ankle deep mud (sometimes even deeper) for 50 miles at a pace slower than my slowest cool down pace.

I sat down for a minute and then decided that being miserable for hours and hours wasn’t something I wanted to do so I QUIT!!!

My shoes probably weighed 8 pounds each – not kidding!!! I threw them away!

This wasn’t a race for me – it was just something that I hated!!! Even if I had sucked it up and finished I wouldn’t have felt like I ran 50 miles because it wasn’t running like I want to run!

Once again I learned something about myself – I HATE trail running!!!

Would you have stuck it out in the mud?
Does mud and having wet feet bother you? I hate it – I don’t even like it when my shoes get just a little dirty!!!

One day I will run 50 miles but it wan’t Saturday. It will not be in a trail race!!!

Happy Monday!

Kim

Day With KT

Category Archives: Uncategorized

De-stressing and a Giveaway!!

Ditching Labels and Stereotypes

A Few Words Can Wash Away a Funk

Sisters

Trails, Roads, Races, Treadmills – Running Is Running

Sometimes a Race Ends up Not Being a Race

Fitness – Food – Fun