August flew by...

I can't believe it's already September 1st. Only a few days away until college football returns and Saturdays are normal again!
August was a big month- we finished moving in, there's still a lot to unpack but we're finally out of the old place. We visited some friends in Nashville and helped them build some shelves and eat some great food.
Then we had a family photo session. Here are a few of my favorites:


A friend of mine who I worked with at the Atlanta TV station is no longer there and is starting a photography business. He wanted to build his portfolio and offered free sittings. So I took him up on it to update our family photo. We went to Piedmont Park and took several different settings of pictures. We got some good ones, Peanut Butter did pretty well.
I've gotten back into running, now that my neck is doing better. Which is a good thing since the half marathon in San Francisco is less than 2 months away!

Need a new post

My 4th of July post is outdated! I've been contemplating what to write about.

I've really enjoyed reading her blogs http://discombobulatedrunning.blogspot.com/ they've kept me entertained while I haven't been running for the last 3 and a half weeks. The day after the Peachtree something happened to my neck and shoulder, I pulled or strained it. Probably from moving. It's taken about 3 weeks to feel normal again. Frustrating! So after my great race on July 4th I've been on a running hiatus. I'm hoping this weekend that I can start running again, I have a race to train for!

So, we are moved into the new place. There are still some things over at the old house- mainly the office but we are moved in. Last night we hosted Craig's Boost Mobile coworkers for a team dinner. There were 8 people total and I think about how comfortable it was in the new place and how much stepping on each other we would've done in the old. It was nice and fun to see some of them, especially Jami who I've known for about 6 or 7 years.

We are in the process of joining Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, GA. I'm really excited to have found a church home in Atlanta, it took us almost 2 years but we needed to find the right place.

On July 21 Ryan Sadowski pitched for the Giants against the Braves. I was able to go to the game, it was a bittersweet game. I'm a Braves fan so I always want them to win but on that night I was rooting for Ryan and the Giants (at least while he was in the game), it was his 4th major league start. Ryan did not have a good game, his first 2 games were phenomenal but he hasn't pitched that great since. Ryan played for the Gators and is our friend Adam's younger brother. I really hope he pitches well again soon.

I hope all is well in your world! Come visit us soon in Atlanta!

Happy Birthday America!

This 4th of July like many past 4th of Julys I ran a road race. In Orlando it was the Watermelon 5k. Now in Atlanta it is the Peachtree Road Race 10k. Every year 55,000 people register and this year for the first time every runner was timed and there were over 50,000 timed finishers, making it the largest timed 10k event in the country. There were actually 10,000 people who tried to register and weren't able to get in.
The big thing in Atlanta is a finisher's t-shirt. Every race I've run up here you don't get your shirt with the number you get the shirt after you complete the race. The Peachtree Road Race shirt is the most coveted shirt in Atlanta. They hold a design contest every year and the winner isn't announced until you pick up your bag after you cross the finish line.
Here's a picture before the race with a couple people I've met through work.

My friend Becki came up to Atlanta to run the Peachtree Road Race with us.

Our official times were: Melissa- 51:54 (3 minutes faster than my last 10k), Craig- 54:21 (qualified for a time group next year!), and Becki- 56:47

After the race we played a round of golf, then watched fireworks a few miles from the house. A very fun 4th of July!

Sadness

I've been out of touch for about a week, I really didn't read or watch news for 5 days. The day after I get home Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson pass away. Very sad. Jon & Kate Plus 8 have been booted for REAL celebrities as the headline of the gossip mags and shows. I have to say listening to Michael Jackson on the radio today was a change but it reminded me of all the songs I used to dance around the house to.

So my trip...
Saturday I drove down to FL. With a stop in Gainesville.

After a very short stop by the stadium and to pick up some food. I got back on the road to Brandon. I had to buy new running shoes. I left mine in Atlanta.
Sunday I got up and ran 7 miles then got ready and went to Wallaby Ranch (www.wallaby.com).
Had a good time visiting with my dad's side of the family. Craig's dad and Carol joined me and Rich went up in a trike which is a motorized hang glider used for teaching.




Sunday night I returned to Brandon for some time with my mom's family. Rory is getting so big.
Monday I ran some errands and had lunch with my mom then I got on the road to Orlando. I got to Rich and Carol's and laid out for 30 minutes. It was all I could stand. Got showered and dressed and went to Christa's for a Pampered Chef party.
Tuesday was BEACH DAY after an hour run in the morning!! Rachel and I went to New Symrna and enjoyed the sun and waves. We even saw a few dolphins.

Wednesday Rich and I went over to our house and mowed the lawn and finished up a few things so the house is ready for the new renters. When we got back we loaded up my car with the desk and chairs and somehow we managed to fit everything in my car including the 9.5 foot desk top. I wish I had taken a picture of it because it was pretty funny how much stuff my CR-V had in it.
Craig and I have done the walk thru with our new house in Atlanta it is a quarter mile away in the same neighborhood. I started moving some stuff over there today.
Here are a few pics of the house before we start moving in.

Getting ready...

In the next month I'm going to Florida to visit family in Brandon and visit friends in Orlando. This trip happens to fall the week before the Peachtree 10k in Atlanta on July 4th. I've been training for this run, to not just finish (which obviously I can... I did finish a 1/2 marathon in 2 hours with no training). But I want to finish faster than last year 55:42 and faster than my qualifying time 54:57. Plus I'm trying to keep up with Kelly who has definitely gone hard core on the running. It's because of her that I finished the ING 1/2 in 2 hours. Which means I'm adding intervals to my running schedule. OH GOODY! That was my least favorite of track and cross country training in high school. So depending on how my last few weeks of training go I am aiming for 51 minutes in the Peachtree 10k. There I've said it, it's in writing.

I'm also mentally and physically preparing for my trip home. I always stress myself out when going home to visit. Now probably more so since my parents got divorced last year and it means splitting time between the 2 houses. While I'm visiting Orlando I'm going to the beach so I'm getting this bod ready for a bikini. It's been almost 2 years since the last time I wore one so I'm sure I will be blinding everyone with my whiteness and farmers tan from running and playing golf.

Please say a prayer for Craig and I, some brothers turned in an application to rent our house in Orlando and they want to move in before the end of the month. I'm praying they get approved and this works out better than our last renter. We had to take a hit on the monthly rent amount but at this point something is better than nothing. The Orlando house has been empty 16 of the 22 months since we've moved to Atlanta. We refuse to be one of those people who foreclose to just get rid of the property. So I'm praying for some help with the mortgage soon! We're saving up to move out of our place and maybe rent a friend's house one street over. Which if that doesn't work out, the search will begin for the next Neubauer rental house. But the fact the Orlando house is empty again keeps making it difficult to put money away for our own deposit and overlap of rent to move. Hopefully we will be packing boxes to move into a bigger - better house very soon!

I ordered jewelry from a friend of a friend and she did a custom purple and green necklace for me. It turned out so cute... I'm going to order an orange and blue necklace in August for the upcoming football season. Her website is: http://laurensbeading.etsy.com/ she has pieces available on her website but she also can create something if you want other colors or have an idea but can't execute it yourself. Check her out http://laurensbeading.etsy.com/

GO MAGIC!!

Get pumped up for the Magic!!

http://www.nba.com/media/magic/25_Orlando_Magic_Theme_Song.mp3

I know it's hard to believe this is for real... but it is. Listen and get pumped up for the Orlando Magic in the Finals!

National Running Day!

Today is National Running Day! Craig and I are running 3 miles after work. It's nice Craig has gotten into running with me.

Update on the jewelry... ring repair has been put off because I REALLY needed new brakes and since they cost about the same the Brakes won so maybe next month I will get my ring repaired. The earring is still a no show.

This past Friday my sister sent me a text asking if we were in town on Sunday because she, Eric and their puppy Bailey wanted to come visit. Craig and I were in town so Emily and family came up to Atlanta from Tallahassee Saturday night after they got off work and left Sunday evening. We didn't do much except watch the dogs play, we even walked them down to the creek to play in the water.

Saturday we played golf and it's official- I am playing from the gold tees. I have been playing from them every once and a while. But instead of going between the red and gold I'm just going to stick with the gold tees. Hopefully by the end of summer I will get my game to under 100 on a consistent basis.

Today I ordered 17 tickets to the Gator football season opener on Sept. 5th. Friends from Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, Tennessee, Kentucky, New York, and Georgia are going to Gainesville for the game. I'm really excited that we were able to order tickets from the University. I'm also making T-bow headbands for the group. I think I'm going to make 10 and whoever wants one can wear it. It's always so much fun to get everyone together! Now we just have to figure out where we are staying.

Tomorrow night is the New Kids on the Block concert that I'm dragging Craig to. He really may hate me for it because it looks like the forecast is calling for rain and the concert is at an Ampitheater. So it could be a wet concert. But I'm really excited to go see them since I was never able to see them as a kid. When we get home from the concert we will hopefully catch the end of the Magic v. Lakers game 1. GO MAGIC!!!