Do you have a bucket list?? 
Have you made that list of places you want to see, accomplishments you want to achieve or crazy new things you want to try?? I would encourage everyone to make a bucket list. It keeps us on our toes, keeps us striving to achieve new things, and keeps life interesting.
On April 18, 2016, I checked one more thing off my bucket list. I ran the Boston Marathon. Without a doubt it was a dream come true! This was my third marathon and by far the most meaningful. This was my ultimate race (as it is for many long distance runners), of course because of its notoriety but also because I grew up outside of Boston and it was like going home to me. I was even able to show my own 3 kids my childhood home, elementary school and quaint hometown – it was a sweet walk down memory lane.
It wasn’t smooth sailing to get to the starting line though. I qualified in the winter of 2014 and I had to wait patiently for April 2016 to come. As 
I trained, I faced a few frustrating injuries and at times I honestly didn’t think Boston was going to happen for me. There were definitely tears along the way, but those challenges only made race day that much sweeter. Luckily, I not only made it to the starting line, but I made it to the finish line. Was it my fastest marathon? No. But this time it wasn’t about the clock for me, it was about being in the MOMENT and enjoying the EXPERIENCE of it all. I was just so appreciative to be there and I wanted to try to soak up every ounce of the day. I wanted to give it my all but to be mindful and present at the same time. The energy of the day was indescribable. The crowds, fans and volunteers were like no other, lined up for the entire 26.2 miles to give us that extra high five, smile and bit of encouragement we needed. I was so lucky to have 12 of my own family members on the side lines that day. It was, without a doubt, a day I will remember forever.
I share this experience with you to encourage you to work towards your dreams too. Know that it might not always be easy, there may be obstacles to overcome, but don’t give up. The feeling of achievement once you reach that goal can last a lifetime! Now, what will you check off your bucket list next??
to compare ourselves to these people who seem to have these so-called perfect lives.
of overweight kids I was not a fan of exercise and the opportunities it presented to put my shortcomings on display (I’m looking at you, gym class). As an adult, however, I have come to love it. I particularly love the alone time granted by a long bike ride or an afternoon hiking. I can even find that solitude in a morning jog or a quick stop at the gym. I love the way it burns off my anxious energy, and how I can count on it to help me sleep better. I must admit, though, that I struggled with whether or not to use the past-tense (loved) in those last few sentences. My daughter (our first) was born last spring. She is the most wonderful person I know, but caring for her takes up an astonishing amount of time and energy, which has led to a significant decrease in the amount of time I spend exercising. She does not directly prevent me from taking long bike rides or going on afternoon hikes, but it’s way harder to fit them in. I actually jogged this morning, but it was the first time this week. It was half as long as the ones I was taking a year ago, yet it made my lungs burn significantly more. I could have gone further, but I wanted to get home to eat breakfast with my daughter and her mom before we all headed to work.
Are more choices a good thing? A regular grocery store has over 25,000 items. This is a huge increase from several decades ago when the average was around 15,000 items. The increase in choices has not coincided with better diets for most Americans. Sometimes too many choices is a bad thing. When faced with a buffet, we tend to eat more based on the number of choices. How can we limit choices in at least some of our eating occasions to help us eat healthy?