Update...

It's time for another update. I am going to try and attempt a weekly entry from here on out but we'll see how that goes.

Where to begin...well, Dick and I spent Thanksgiving at my parents house in SC. It was great to see my parents, my sister Amanda and her family. Amanda's kids get so much bigger everytime we see them and they are so much fun to be around. I wish we all lived closer so we could see them more.

From SC I went to MN for my 10yr high school reunion. The reunion didn't bring as many people as we thought it would be I went with 4 of my best girlfriends from high school. To all be together with them again was worth the trip. I made a quick trip to Grantsburg, WI and got to go around with my friend Brandi, the vet, to all her appts which was awesome. I visited my first real farm, saw Brandi fix up some cows and gently shove a uterus back into one. It was thrilling to say the least.

I've done a few speaking gigs along the way, one in DC and one this week at Thornwood high school in South Chicago. Craig Renaud, the guy shooting the documentary Warrior Champions was there to film my high school talk so I assume I'll be seeing part of it on a big screen at some point. Hopefully I sounded OK.

I finally went and tried a few organized swim practices at UIC swimming. It is a masters/ college team where at certain practices a week everyone does the same workouts. I did one of the college ones and thought I was going to die. It was the hardest one I had done since Sep and I felt it. I am way out of shape. After the New Year I plan on starting up again in full force with that team. I'm thinking 8 in pool practices a week along with some weights and other training.

Speaking of other training, I am starting to get a little nervous about this Sadlers Alaska Challege I signed up for. My friend Susan Katz who is also doing it has a blog of her training (http://idontlikefunpeople.wordpress.com) which makes me feel like such a slacker. She has been at it for a while and I'm thinking maybe I should have started by now. Luckily, I have a coach with Carmichael Training Systems that is going to help me with workouts after the New Year and get me ready for the race. I'm thinking I may at least get my bike out of the garage sometime next week. That's a start right...

Dick has finals next week and is busy studying all this weekend and next week. I am SO looking forward to next Fri when he will be finished and we can go away without his textbooks. We are headed to CO for Xmas and then to Rome for the New Year. We haven't had much time to think about Rome but are really looking forward to it. We are going with another couple and are super excited to see them for a week of too much food and too much wine. I'll really need that training to get rid of those extra pounds when I get back...

Tomorrow I am headed to NY to attend the Heisman awards gala/ dinner thing and then to DC to take part in a study at Walter Reed and to help with a swim clinic with Jimi, my OTC swim coach.

But today, it's time for some Xmas shopping. Time to go battle the crowds. Wish me luck.