I’m Going to a Conference and I’m Going to Bring…

July 3, 2014 by Meridith

Throughout the years I’ve attended my fair share of conferences. Residence Life, sorority (Phi Sigma Sigma – LITP!), Stroller Strides… all awesome and inspiring in their own rights, though quite a few years ago at this point.

Disney Social Media Moms Philly Celebration was my first blogger conference; I chatted about the overall experience here. Leading up to the big day, there was a lot of discussion about what you should bring along and expect on the event’s Facebook page.

While this list isn’t the end-all-be-all, here are few things that worked for me and might help you out for upcoming conferences!

1. A BIG OL’ SMILE

Hey there, hi there, ho there! You’re as welcome as can be! – Valerie, Jamie, myself and Beth

many thanks to Beth of http://columbus.macaronikid.com/ for this pic!

First and foremost, a smile and an attitude of gratitude. With those two things, you cannot fail. Everything else in this post is secondary. I was fortunate enough to meet Valerie, Jamie and Beth at the start of the day, along with some other lovely attendees. They immediately put me at ease and gave me… confidence.

2. CONFIDENCE

For the Disney Social Media Moms event, you applied and then you were invited based on your application. Other conferences are done via registration. Whether it’s by invitation or registration, chances are you want to be in attendance, and conversely the conference coordinators want you to be there!

Nerves are natural and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t somewhat nervous at the start of the day. In fact, I’m always a bit nervous meeting new people. It must be a remnant from my shy teen years.

I’ve come to find that when I look good, I feel good. This is a common theme for most people, yes? I hemmed and hawed over what I was going to wear because I wanted to be comfortable, but adorable.

I landed on the dress (Modcloth) immediately but shoes are always a bit tricky for me because I live in running shoes. I took an Instagram poll on which shoes I should wear with my Ready, Wheeling and Able bicycle dress and the overwhelming response was the nude shoes.

Except the first time I wore them, I got a huge gash on the back of my heel. No bueno!

So I wore the red shoes to the conference and my tootsies were thanking me for it. Plus, people were thinking that I was going for the Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz look. Bicycles. Blue dress. Ruby red shoes. I TOTALLY DID NOT SEE THAT. (Pat pat, Meridith. Way to be observant.)

My point is that I totally love my bicycle dress. I adore my little red shoes with the kitten heels. I felt comfortable and confident and ready to take on the world. And the conference!

3. BUSINESS CARDS

Just as your smile and confidence present who you are in person, business cards are a big factor in representing you and your brand, especially after the conference is over.

Using the header from our blog on one side and the Scoot a Doot logo on the other side with our information, we tied our blog/twitter/Facebook and business cards together for consistency. We ordered a bazillion (or five hundred) from Vistaprint.

Trading business cards is nearly as much as fun as pin trading!

Some of the cards I collected along the way.

As you go around and chat with people, you share cards. That way you can stay connected post event and you’re not wasting time scribbling down contact info on scraps of paper. Additionally, many conferences have door prizes. How do you enter? Business cards, of course.

4. MAKING THE ROUNDS

The doors to the conference room opened at 8am and everyone rushed in to grab seats and explore. Being Disney, there was something to do or look at every which way.

Not going to lie, I was all over the place. I wanted to take pictures and I wanted to talk to people. There was so much to do, so much to see! AND I WANTED TO DO IT ALL.

This is very clever on Disney’s part because the picture opportunities are a built-in ice breaker.

Rocking My Disney Side with Disbroads Tania and Kristen

Give Disney fans props and proceed to party! This photo booth style set up was perfect for people who wanted to take pictures. Plus, you get to make friends with the people around you to ask if they’ll take your picture. Or heck, take a picture with you. Win win!

The bummer is that you won’t get to talk to everyone. I saw people I recognized from Facebook, Twitter, and past runDisney events who I would have loved to chat with in person but unfortunately there just wasn’t enough time to make all the rounds. There’s always next time! (Or later – hint, hint – check out number 6.)

5. YOUR THINKING CAP

The clacking of keys from laptops, the quick and nimble fingers flying over Smartphone screens, the scratching of pens and pencils on paper… there was no doubt that it was a social media conference. For me, one of the big questions was: How do you par down what you choose to share and where?

For me, I tried to tweet information on Twitter that I thought were interesting and different. Fun little tidbits which would interest people who weren’t at the conference. I also didn’t want to be so absorbed with being on social media, that I missed what was going on around me (it’s been known to happen). Therefore, I stuck to pen and paper for most of my notes – occasionally hopping on to Twitter/Facebook/Instagram to share things during down time. Find what works best for you and roll with it!

And remember, bring all your electronics juiced up and ready to go. Electrical outlets are a hot commodity!

6. TIME AKA HOOKING UP BEFORE OR AFTER THE ACTUAL CONFERENCE

If you have the opportunity to spend time before or after the event with attendees and feel comfortable and safe doing so, it’s a great opportunity to extend the experience. Attendees and hopefuls of the Philly event created a Facebook page to connect prior to the event. A few opportunities were set up prior and post the conference with nearby vendors, thanks to Aunesty.

Since I was local to the event, I didn’t have too much time to spend sans mom hat, so sadly I didn’t get to partake in those. However, Destiny, Jamie and I were able to make Cheesecake Factory happen!

Like I said earlier, I was a little nervous going into the day but by the time the conference was over and I was ready for lunch, joining up with these ladies seemed like the fantastic idea. We were able to prolong the magic, chat about the conference and life. I felt like I’d know them forever!

There you go! Just a couple of little tips and tricks that I found to be helpful during my first social media conference. Did I miss something? Have you found something helpful that you’d like to share with me and readers? Please comment!

The City of Motherly Love – Philly’s Disney Social Media Moms Celebration

June 24, 2014 by Meridith

Immediately following the Disney Social Media Moms conference in Philadelphia last Thursday the text messages, tweets, and phone calls started rolling in asking the details of the event. I might have been a little excited about it and may have talked about it non-stop for the weeks leading up to it. #yesitotallydid

The short answer: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

The long answer: Um, how much time do you have?

Seriously though, it’s taken me a few days to coherently put together this post because there was so much I took away from the five hour morning session.

It wasn’t even just about what was said, it was the entire experience; in particular the camaraderie with people I was meeting for the first time or whom I’d only conversed with via social media. To not only put a face to the names (and in some cases put a real name to the screen name) isn’t something that happens nearly enough, in my opinion. Having face time (not the app), and being able to look someone in the eye while chatting about common interests and goals is what life is about!

Breathing the same air as Disbroads Tania and Kristen was pretty spectacular.

What can I tell you about Disney’s Social Media Moms Philly event, without sounding too much like a toddler in my storytelling (and then, and then, and then) and also without leaving anything out? Summarizing is difficult, but here are a few kernels of wisdom I gleaned that are applicable to life in general.

Disney are fun makers and as such, are memory makers. My one and only college spring break experience was Disney. My husband and I honeymooned there eleven years ago. Brooke and Vic joined me for my first 13.1 experience at the Princess half marathon in 2012. I’ve adored bringing my children there as the years have galloped past at astonishing speeds. The list goes on!

Disney has a wonderful recipe of mixing magic, Imagineering, and an enthusiasm for connections. Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager for Disney Parks blog, shared a favorite story of a very special lost teddy bear finding his way back home… but not before having a little fun in the parks. The blog post really touched readers because it encapsulated values that we love to see within people and within our favorite companies.

Applying this to my life is definitely not as magical as in the Disney Parks but I do try to incorporate the same type of thought process through my days. I choose positivity, gratitude and overall goodness and gravitate toward those who do the same.

This guy knows all about making memories!

Three of the speakers were Huggies brand MomInspired grant winners and while I don’t have a current business plan for which I’m seeking a grant, I definitely related to the moms on this panel. Lead by Maria Bailey of Mom Talk Radio much of the conversation was based on how to balance time as a mom and time working on their projects.

Well, let’s just say that this was my tweet earlier today…

Yep, rookie mistake. Maria made the point of suggesting that you make sure to look at the white of your children’s eyes when they are speaking to be present within the conversation. As such, I shut down the computer and took them to the pool club where we all played in the pool together for two and a half hours. (Now one is napping and the other is reading. Sweet blissful quiet, you are welcomed with open arms!)

The ladies on the panel told us about their products, shared a bit about their thought processes and also how they went about getting to where they are today with their ideas. Dispensing one piece of advice has to be incredibly hard to do because Amy, Kristi and Jen all worked very hard in following their dreams but they each narrowed it down.

Prior to the On the Road event, the organizers requested each of the attendees to share their favorite Disney Side picture and for me, that was like asking me to pick my favorite child! Pretty much impossible! However, I finally went with the picture that I have on my Meet Meri page because I feel like it encapsulates my love affair with Disney pretty thoroughly.

We were surprised with by HP’s Noah Lomax with this bit of awesomeness…

HP Photo Card Pack with one card that had ME showing my Disney Side. Sweet!

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE REAL LETTERS.The fact that we were provided with this adorable card (is it narcissistic to say this?) and a stamped envelope to send along to anyone we so desired. I’m only a little obsessed with postage, you will find me window shopping for custom envelopes on sites like http://www.agenvelopes.com.au/ instead of browsing facebook and social media. Mom and Dad, I hope you enjoyed getting real mail from your adorable daughter.

These days the written word is very often limited to those we read on the computer screen, however I do believe there is something very special about receiving correspondence via the letter carrier. This gesture from HP was appreciated!

The day wrapped with health and fitness guru, the Mojo Coach, Debi Silber. I found myself nodding in agreement with many of the points she made during her presentation.

Debi explained that as moms, we are capable of doing so much. And because of that, we do so much… until we can’t. We get overloaded, bogged down, and take on too much until the wheels fall off (or the mom starts pulling her hair out of her head). That was something that really spoke to me.

Because yes. YES, YES, YES.

It’s why I carve out the time that I need to go to the gym, to get a run in, to go to a Disney Social Media Moms conference (even though it was the last day of school): to make time for me. My belief system, my internal monologue, used to be a lot of excuses… reasons why I couldn’t or shouldn’t do something. It has been updated in the past couple of years to I can and I will.

It’s all interconnected; a lot of what this conference encapsulated was finding and maintaining balance, embracing off-the-wall ideas (or 10pm typos that turn into something wonderful à la Gary Buchanan – ahem, the DIAPER DANS anyone?) and looking to tap into the childlike wonder that hides within us all.

Have you ever been to a social media celebration? This was my first but I would love to participate in more – I had a blast! There’s so much more I’d love to share about this one that I just might have to do another post.

Bar Food

June 18, 2014 by Meridith

If you look in any grocery store, health food store, or outlet/club store, chances are you will see no less than fifty different brands and flavors of bar (variously billed as energy bars, protein bars, etc.). When I was growing up, these things were exclusively the realm of the dieter – someone who had gone to confession and admitted the sin of being unable to master the dark art of portion control and therefore needed the gods of some random food manufacturer to portion out their appropriate allotment of vitamins, minerals, calories, and what-have-you that make up a healthy diet. Similarly, granola bars have been around for quite some time. Originally, they were clearly targeted at kids lunch boxes and those that needed a snack on-the-go.

Modern energy bars are a natural combination of both of these trends. They serve as a meal-replacement for someone trying to manage their diet and count calories with deadly accuracy. They serve as a snack for on-the-go kids and adults that want to have some notion that what they are eating is healthy and has some measurable nutritional value. Most importantly, for our purposes, they serve as a means of getting a high amount of calories into our digestive systems for some athletic goal. This might be generating energy for a run or workout; providing appropriate fuel for muscle-building afterwards; or getting some quick-digesting energy to keep us going after a period of sustained exertion like a long-distance run.

Whatever your purpose for eating them, sorting through the huge variety of available bars can seem daunting. With price-tags that can cost as much as a cheap take-out meal for a single bar, it’s reasonable to want some sense of what you’re buying when to invest in a case of bars. Have no fear: we’re here to help. We intrepidly tested a number of widely-available protein/energy bars and rated them on the following categories:

Nutritional Content / Breakdown
Taste
Price (except we got most of these from other people… so, uh, we can’t help you. Sorry y’all.)

It’s a six star rating scale. Why six and not five? Oh, wouldn’t you like to know.

The taste-testers. Dude and Mer.

First up, we have Picky Bars Lauren’s Mega Nuts.

This has what might be the most healthy nutritional content. It’s 45 grams, rather than 40 grams like most of the others. It has 200 calories, with 56 calories from fat making it lower fat content than all the other bars we tried. That’s 46% less fat than all of the 40 gram bars we tried, even though there’s more bar there. Boom goes the dynamite. (I’ll give you a hint of who did the math for this post… it wasn’t me.)

It has a very earthy texture. Dude likened it to peat moss, but I’m thinking he’s never ate peat moss so what the heck does he know?

If you’re looking for energy or meal replacement with it being as healthy as possible, this is the way to go.

In addition, you could make a health-nut buzzword drinking game out of the label and end up incapacitated (eg non-gmo, organic, agave nectar, cane juice, etc.). We have very little memory of eating this bar because of this aforementioned game.

5 out of 6 stars for nutritional content / breakdown

3 out of 6 stars for taste

Next on tap, we’ve got the Luna Peanut Honey Pretzel bar, which Dude ate without me before the gym (not that I’m bitter or anything…)

This bar tastes great, is the largest portion size of those we tested (at 48 grams), and has the second lowest fat calories at 70.

On the other hand, it achieves this combination not through health-nut buzzwords, but the miracles of modern chemistry. The ingredients are in fine print on a reflective portion of the label, but the fastidious among us can find AP chem classics such as: magnesium oxide, ferrous fumarate, potassium iodide, and other geek classics. (Dude note: these are all in the vitamin/minerals section and are good for you but don’t sound as much earthy goodness as folks might expect.)

This bar kept Dude going during an intensive training session with our sociopath trainer (his words, not mine. I love you, Ron).

Editors note: It is only at this point during our review that Dude noticed the Luna bar’s label tag line “Whole nutrition bar for women.” He is displeased with my having recommended this one to him, but stands by his review nonetheless.

4 out of 6 stars for nutritional content / breakdown

5 out of 6 stars for aste

Are you ready for our next taste test? Sure you are! That would be the LARABAR uber: Roasted Nut Roll.

Dude said this bar should automatically be disqualified because it did not hail him a cab. #giantgeek

Despite containing very natural ingredients, the nutritional content of this bar leaves something to be desired, including containing 24% of your recommended daily intake of fat in a small 40 gram bar. Oy vey!

That being said, it tastes good. It has a distinct trail mix flavor so if you were a Scout as a kid, odds are you’ll feel right at home with this bar.

Like the KIND bar we’ll talk about later, it’s relatively low in carbohydrates, so if you want a bar for a quick burst of energy look elsewhere.

3 out of 6 stars for nutritional content / breakdown

4 out of 6 stars for taste

Are you ready to hear our thoughts on thinkThin Crunch Caramel Chocolate Dipped Mixed Nuts? Okay, awesome, because we are ready to share them.

This bar has a seal on the front that says “Wholesome abundance, 9g protein, 6g sugar, 4g fiber.” We cannot fathom why they left off 11g fat.

Despite this omission, we can say that this bar is one of our favorites. It’s lower fat than the worst offender, but better tasting and with better texture than the rest of the competitors. We’ll let the missing fat grams on the seal slide.

Like with some other bars, the low carb content makes this a better meal replacement bar than an energy or recovery bar. Dude would eat six of them in one sitting if I did not stop him (for those of you following along at home, that would be 102% of Dude’s recommended fat intake).

4 out of 6 stars for nutritional content / breakdown

6 out of 6 stars for taste

Finally, we have the KIND Nuts & Spices Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt.

This bar has a unique flavor that seems specially crafted to help you prove how much better than everyone else you are. The nut flavors alternate with the sea salt taste in a way that is hard to argue is not fantastic.

The wrapper has a tag line “…made from all natural ingredients you can see and pronounce”. Exercise for the reader: pronounce soy lecithin.

More fun label facts! “A study by the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center indicates that eating two KIND bars a day helps prevent weight gain.” Studies by the Daniel-Daniel Prevention Research Center indicates that eating twelve daily does not afford such benefits. We’re not sure if they’re talking about eating just the two bars and nothing else for the entire day because two of these bars would give you 46% of your recommended daily fat intake.

3 out of 6 stars for nutritional content / breakdown

4 out of 6 stars for taste

In conclusion, we like eating bars. We also like drinking at bars. We hope this guide helps you choose a bar that meets your needs – whether it’s a meal replacement, a pre-workout energy bar, or a post-workout recovery food.

Bon Appetit!

A Day in the Life: Mer

June 13, 2014 by Meridith

Wake up to the sound of birds chirping. Open one eye to peek at the clock and see if it’s worth going back to sleep or if I should just lie in bed. Alarm set for 5:10am. It’s 4:56am.

Damnitsomuch.

Lay around for a couple of minutes. Contemplate the use of lie versus lay and realize that it’s probably going to be wrong in this post so I might as well just get up.

Skulk around the house in hopes of not waking my family as I prepare for the gym. Skulking/preparing takes approximately 10 minutes. The pooch shifts in her bed as I’m sitting on the kitchen floor, putting on my shoes, and I freeze. She settles down. I grab my gym essentials (towel, water, wallet, phone, keys) and creep out the door.

It’s always interesting to see what song is on the radio; perhaps it will be an indication of the tone of the day? Maybe it will be Born to Run? Perhaps a little Radiohead?

No.

Well… okay then.

Head into the gym, chat with my trainer’s wife for a couple of minutes before she heads out on her rainy run. I decide to stick to the treadmill as I like to stay close by in case my trainer swings in early (not usually the case but it’s happened on occasion). Sometimes I run sprints on the nearby side street but since it’s gross, I stay inside.

But look, I took a picture of the one of the weight while the gym was absolutely empty. Because I promise you that if I took my phone into the gym or even took a picture in the gym when my trainer or anyone else was around, I would have to answer at least twenty questions.

And possibly get ridiculed for taking pictures of inanimate objects.

The “light” weights.

My Thursday partner shows up a little before 6am and does a quick warmup before we start a set of FitDeck cards and a five minute treadmill run, until our trainer shows. Once he arrives, we move into his plan for us for the hour while talking about the news, society, my dad, my Dude, and a variety of other topics. Well, mostly he talks and I grunt out responses in between deadlifts, cleans, push presses, etc. It works out well.

At 7:10am I arrive home and fall back into the Mom Role and the family routine.

There was a hot second of consideration toward straightening my hair. Maybe it was a half second.

Breakfast is the next order of business because I’m more than hungry at this point. Pooks heads out the door for the school bus after our usual “See you later, alligator/After a while, crocodile” routine.

Dude and I chat for a few minutes while I eat my eggs and toast before I realize that I need to deal with my arch nemesis… Laundry.

Said in the way that Seinfeld says NEWMAN.

Throw that load in and immediately get sidetracked when I also realize that I need to start our dinner in the crock pot. Ten minutes later, I’m fighting with the can opener and glance over to see Gemma trying to eat the rest of my eggs.

Yeah, welcome to mornings in my house. Set Gemma up with the eggs (in her bowl rather than on my plate) and turn back to the task at hand of opening cans. Which shouldn’t be incredibly difficult, except when your can opener is a piece of poop.

Which mine is.

Little and I decide that we need to remedy this and head to CVS for a new can opener.

“Can I carry the new can opener?” Sure buddy.

After Little and the cashier mutually express their admiration for each other, we head back home.

You had ONE job…

I defy you, can opener! And I’m able to finish my task of getting dinner into the crock pot.

All is right with the world once more.

9:30am – Little requests his favorite snack and drink and I head to the computer to do some work for Scoot a Doot. Instagram a couple of throwback pictures. Chat with Vic via email. Chat with Jess via text. Hear from my book club buddies about new books. Email with Jess and Cam about Disneyland half and talk about what we’re going to wear (priorities).

Prep lunch for Little and prep Gemma for a visit to the park once Little heads off to school. Our district’s Pre-K is a half day program so he’s picked up by the bus at 10:45am. Next year he’ll be in full day Kindergarten.

Soon enough, the bus takes Little off to school. Gemma and I hop in the car to go to the park.

“Momma! I want to play with everyone!”

The rescue we got her from (Bella Reed Pit Bull Rescue) is filming a video for pit bull advocacy/awareness. I wish I could say that she was the best behaved dog there but… well… she was a little wound and really excited to see everyone. Regardless, she had a blast and I was happy to help.

Oh, now you show up!

The ride home is filled with me singing and Gemma sighing at my singing. What, only you’re allowed to act a fool, Gemma? I don’t think so.

Geez Momma, you’re SO embarrassing.

Dude and I meet at h0me for lunch, as we do most days. It’s nice because we’re able to have conversations that aren’t interrupted by our kids. Heck, we even get to talk about our kids without their big ol’ ears around. And sometimes, we have conversations that don’t have to do with the kids at all!

After lunch there’s an hour of free time for errands. Today’s include a visit to the farm and getting my eyebrows waxed. I’ll spare you a picture of the brow waxing because no one needs to see that.

This is New Jersey.

Little rolls in at 2:20 and he’s excited to show me his memory book. Pooks rolls in at 3 and the first thing he does is check out the memory book, too.

“We both wanted to be astronauts in Pre-K!”

Moments like these are when my heart swells in my chest, and I hide the fact that I want to smush their little faces together in a group hug. I hang back, I listen, and I’m so grateful that they are such good brothers to one another.

With the end of school coming up (next week), I get to work on the thank yous for our teachers and bus drivers as the boys entertain each other.

Watch a little SYTYCD and then snuggle up with Pooks so he can read me stories that he’s written during the school year. After he’s finished, he asks if I can find “Happy” sheet music on the computer so he can start practicing it on the piano. I happily oblige. Thank you, Pinterest.

As he disappears, Little shows up, nose scrunched.

“Momma, what are you making that smells so yummy?”
“Oh, that’s Chicken Taco Chili.” (nonchalantly in hopes that maybe he’ll try)
“Ew, I’m not eating that.”

*cue sad trombone*
(I’m not surprised at all… he’s my pickier than picky eater.)

All this technology and yet we have no smell-o-vision.

As we wait for Dude to get home from work, I fold laundry and Gemma “helps”. Her helping includes stealing socks and standing on the folded clothes while sniffing my hair.

I hear the boys downstairs. Remember that warm fuzzy feeling I described earlier about how loving they are with each other? Well, the tone now is decidedly less loving. The older one being crazy and the little one saying “Ow, ow, ow!” Hmph.

6:15pm – Dinner is served and to Pooks’ credit he tries the chili and even compliments me. Little has pancakes. Everyone is happy.

Gemma has a photo shoot scheduled with the same photographer who took her Adopt Me rescue pictures. But first, to make our lives more interesting, she’s found a bunny nest in our yard.

Yeah. No pictures of that either. Rethinking sharing my eyebrow waxing picture.

Dude and Gem are off to the photographer. Chat on Facebook about youth literature. I gently rouse Little, who’s fallen asleep on the couch, and get him into his pjs.

My non-rabbit eating children.

Watch a little tv and read Little two books before bed. He’s ready to go to sleep a couple of minutes before 8pm.

Pooks hangs out on the couch with me and we watch Spongebob and talk about everything and nothing. Soon he leaves me for the shower, a book, and bed.

I write the majority of this post (and figure I should document it for the sake of… I don’t even know).

And that is the majority of my Thursday, June 12th, 2014. I was saying earlier via email that I don’t think I realized how boring I was until this post, but I would like to amend that statement.

I don’t think I realized how lucky I am. I’ve got a good life.

As Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Indeed.

Do Good, Feel Good: Out of this World Lemonade

June 3, 2014 by Meridith

Ah, almost-summer. Time for sunshine, pools opening, long days (and short nights), and of course, LEMONADE. This past weekend my family hosted our third Out of this World Lemonade Stand to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in raising money for pediatric cancer research.

Despite hosting the same event yearly, each time is unique and incredibly rewarding. This was Little’s first official time “hosting” with his big brother and he took his job as ice scooper very seriously. His little voice rang out “CUSTOMERS!” every time a car slowed or people walked down the block.

We live on a cut-through street (you know, the one where people drive to avoid hitting lights) which really helps generate stand traffic. And, of course, we post signs at both ends of the block.

We encourage the kids to run the stand as much as possible, with minimal help from us. I do have to say that social media helps a lot with reaching out to friends and family and sharing our donation page; that’s something that neither of them have at this point and won’t for some time! However, they are the ones who are squeezing the lemons, old school style.

At the end of two days, between online and in person donations, we’ve raised $1,174.53. We set a slightly lofty goal of $2,000 and haven’t hit it… yet. But hey, if you’d like to help us out, please feel free to click the link (the in person donations aren’t yet visible).

While our lemonade stand weekend has passed, the official Alex’s Lemonade Stand “lemonade days” are actually this upcoming weekend! If you search here, you can find upcoming fundraisers in your area. Want to get involved and host a lemonade stand of your own? It’s not too late! Check out the Get Involved page.

Additionally, coming up in September is Alex’s Million Mile RUN.WALK.RIDE! We had an awesome team of 31 people last year and I’m betting that we can TOP THAT in 2014.

Let’s mix, pour, and find a cure one cup at a time!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2ml0oliUjU&w=640&h=480]

Time to Break Away From This Day to Day

May 20, 2014 by Meridith

People, I’m going insane over here. We just wrapped up an entire week of Little being sick.

Pooks was sick with the same thing at the beginning of the month but at age nine, he’s a much easier sick.When Pooks is sick, he stays in his room, relaxes, plays on his 3DS, and watches Netflix (you know, in between the vomiting and whatnot).

When five year old Little is sick, he’s on the couch with me. He wants to watch the same show twenty times in a row. He wants a drink. But not medicine. Never medicine. He wants to cuddle. He’s hot. He’s cold and wants a blanket. Gemma is allowed to lie with him, but only on his feet.

With all this time around the house, I’ve been getting a lot done… so there’s a positive, I suppose. I’m at the point where ALL the laundry is clean. That will last two seconds but I’m going to enjoy this moment. All the dishes are also clean and in their spots. Straightening and chucking things that have been sitting around for far too long has also occurred.

What’s not getting done? Food shopping. Meal planning. Running. Playing. Breathing fresh air.

Although, being at home with kiddo hasn’t been all bad. I’m reading my third book of the week. I finally wrote an overdue letter to Victoria. And I’m planning trips for the summer! Getting in the summer mindset isn’t really too difficult because Little is constantly asking, “Is it summer yet? NOW is it summer?” Kids are always ready for the next big thing before this one is even over.

As of two weeks ago, my only solid plans were heading to California at the end of August to visit bestie Kelly -and her adorable family- and then meet up with my Chicks, Jess and Cam, for the Disneyland half weekend and shenanigans.

Now, more solid plans have fallen into place.

We’ve joined a local swim club.
Little is signed up for five weeks of camp for the mornings.
Pooks is heading to Florida with Grandpa on the auto train. (shhhh, it’s a surprise!)
We’re going to Florida too! We’ll be meeting them down there for a week of Beach, Pool, Ice Cream. I think that’s basically my version of GTL (Gym, Tan, Laundry for those who have never seen Jersey Shore). Oh, and FAMILY. We’ve got a slew of family down in Florida and I want to see them all.
California!

Throw in a couple of races, the ever-constant training – running and weights, our Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a Sweet 16, Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, and a wedding and we’ve got quite a full schedule!

With all the plans, there are still a couple of things that I’d like to focus on.

1. Focus on swimming. Since we’ve joined the swim club, I would like my five year old to learn how to swim. Additionally, I’d like to get back into the pool and add that into my workout routine. I was on the swim team for years as a child but haven’t used it as exercise since my young teen years.

2. Cook dinners, order out less, and focus on healthier food decisions. Why is this so challenging? Seriously. I feel like it shouldn’t be and yet, the planning of meals is something that has never come easy for me. Sometimes I’m REALLY on with things. And then there are times like this week/month/few months. Maybe I’ll see if What’s For Dinner? errrr, I mean BEC can come up with a meal plan for us.

3. Be present in the moment. So much of my time seems to be spread out between things I want to do and things I feel obligated to do. However, with all of the moments, I would like to try to be more present. It might mean leaving my phone at home more but do I really need to be in constant contact with everyone all the time? No. I do not.

Although look at the gorgeous pic I took just a few blocks down from my house while taking the pooch for a walk!

What do you have planned for the summer months? Do you leave your cell phone at home to disconnect for awhile? Any recipes or meal plans you can recommend?

Let’s celebrate! Disney Social Media Moms On-the-Road

May 8, 2014 by Meridith

The past few weeks have been crazypants. I say that in the most loving way possible because it’s all for the greater good, in both my life and the lives of my loved ones. It’s just been a lot.

All the lots.

I’m heavily involved with the PTO at Pooks’ elementary school and the end of the year is barreling down on us. There’s still so much to tackle: field trips, fundraisers, Pride Day (t-shirt and shirt orders to sort along with it, natch), and so forth. But this week in particular is extra busy because we are celebrating the teachers and staff during Appreciation Week, along with our lovely school nurse on Nurses Day.

I’m trying to focus on the celebration aspect of things because hey, who doesn’t like a good party? Plus, these are the educators who have done an amazing job with my son for the past three years and will be welcoming my Little with open arms in 2016 and guiding him through first through third grades.

Now I have yet another reason to celebrate! On Cinco de Mayo, in the midst of the Appreciation Week launch, I received the happy news that I’d been invited to participate in the Disney Social Media Moms (or DSSM) Celebration – On-the-Road in Philadelphia! The City of Brotherly… or should I say MOTHERLY Love, in this instance, and furthermore it’s the city I consider “mine”.

Philadelphia is one of three stops the latest On-the-Road tour hits, the other two being Chicago and Phoenix. It will be such a terrific opportunity to meet people and to LEARN from other strong and empowering women. I know I’ll be taking so much away from the experience and hopefully I’m able to make meaningful contributions as well! I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

This week we celebrate educators, those who shape and mould our children’s lives. This weekend we celebrate motherhood. And on June 19th, I’ll be celebrating with Disney Social Media Moms!

Have you been to any of Disney’s On-the-Road events? I’d love to hear about it; tell me about it in the comments!

6 minute PR and running with friends – 2014 Nike Women’s Half DC

April 29, 2014 by Meridith

I was one of the lucky 15,000 runners who participated in the 2014 Nike Women’s Half DC. We’d attempted to get in to the 2013 inaugural race but unfortunately, that lottery didn’t work in our favor. Therefore, I was pretty stoked when we got the news that we’d be running this race!

As my first ever DC race, I was looking forward to checking out the sights, running with friends, and of course, the Tiffany necklace at the finish line (I’m not even going to pretend like that wasn’t a big draw. IT WAS. Not ashamed.)

With any race, you always hear the pros and cons from the previous year (or years); it’s always interesting to see how race organizers respond to feedback. For example, from what I understand the shirts were handed out at the end of the race in 2013. This year, the shirts were available during packet pickup, due to participant feedback. The shirts run small, but were able to be exchanged at a tent in the Expotique area. (Although the ease of exchange was another story for some friends – Moe was able to do it immediately while Vic was told that she needed to come back at a specific time, which she was unable to do.)

This is a large race and the flow of traffic during the Expotique was congested. There was much to look at and experience, all of which were awesome because this race doesn’t lack for sponsorship, but the lines were pretty intense. So despite the party-like vibe going on, with music pumping and smiling volunteers, the main goal was to take a quick spin through and get out of the tent. We signed the graffiti wall and headed up the street.

There was a long line to take a picture with the WE RUN sign, so we did this and called it good!

Georgetown is a great area and the weather was gorgeous so we took our time strolling along. We reached the Nike Store which had the wall of participant names, something we all were looking forward to seeing.

Keri! Mine was too tall (or maybe I’m too short?).

A bit of shopping, a bit of walking, a lot of food and then we headed back to the hotel, Courtyard Marriott in Foggy Bottom. This was one of the race hotels and a little over a mile walk from the start/finish of the race. Split between four of us, Vic, Moe, Keri and myself, it was $50 per person. Once there we relaxed before… you guessed it, MORE FOOD. All the while we were drinking lots of water to hydrate for the next morning.

During dinner we discussed race plans and met up with Brooke and Josh, who had a later reservation at the same restaurant. Vic would run solo, Kyle and Brooke would follow and Keri, Moe and I planned to bring up the back! My goal was to PR and knew my girls would help me along the way.

Sleep did NOT come easy that evening, despite being exhausted. My mind wouldn’t stop racing and I think that it hindered my running on Sunday morning. No bueno!

We woke at 5:15am, met up with Brooke and her husband an hour later, and walked to the start village.

Brooke and I called Mr. President on the Banana Phone. Of course.

Once we reached the split area, we took a picture with Josh’s very amazing sign.

After good byes and good lucks, we were off to find our pace areas. This was another change from last year, from what I understand; there were three waves rather than just one.

So very many people.

My cohorts for the race! Me, Moe and Keri

We were surrounded by a lot of first time half marathoners and many Team in Training folks, all of whom did an awesome job! Moe runs with Team in Training in Chicago so while waiting to start we chatted a bit about the training runs, the coaches, and whatnot.

After a bit more chit chat and the introductions of Shalane Flanagan and Joan Benoit Samuelson by the DJs, it was GO TIME! We crossed the start about fifteen minutes after the first runners, which was pretty impressive considering that we were in the last corral. The course was pretty packed the majority of the run though so perhaps a bit more time between each corral would help alleviate the congestion. If I ruled the world, this would happen.

Keri, Moe and I settled into our 3:1 intervals, 3 minutes running, 1 minute walking and were able to do that through the race. Naturally we wanted to push the runs but it was hard to do so, as there was never really any open pockets. Bobbing and weaving takes a lot out of you but we did it the entire race.

Heading into the tunnel of no-love.

We hit this tunnel twice and I had no love for it on the way out or back. I mean, on the surface, it’s pretty cool. They had drummers throughout, the beat was echoing off the walls and they also had the graffiti wall and the WE RUN sign from the Expotique. However, it was hotter than blue blazes in there and man, did I feel it. I was happy to get out of there and so was my Garmin.

The race course had other amenities that you don’t usually see at races – some of which were brilliant and others that would have been brilliant in different circumstances. For example, after exiting the tunnel, we saw a chocolate station on the other side of the route. Now, in mile 2 0f the race, chocolate sounded fun. By mile 11, when it could be reality… I wanted no part of it! (Spoiler alert: All I wanted was the finish line.)

You’re a 13.1 in my book

My favorite part of the course were miles 4-7. At mile 4 we saw Brooke’s husband, Josh! He was the only spectator we knew on the course and it’s always nice to see a familiar smiling face.

Around that time is when I got the music (and stashed my phone) so I was rocking and running and having a great ol’ time. The Arlington Memorial Bridge was a lot of fun to run because we got to see runners on the other side, give high fives; it generally had a really good vibe. To paraphrase Pete the Cat, the birds were singing, the sky was bright, the sun was shining and I was feeling ALRIGHT.

That “alright” feeling lasted a little past the halfway point. Which, was very cool, by the way. They had a video camera trained on the road and a huge big screen so you could see everyone running.

At mile 8 I realized that I wasn’t hydrated. Not that I wasn’t hydrating, because I was. I drank two cups at every water station but I was definitely off so I switched out one water for a Nuun cup (the electrolyte drink they had on the course). Our run chatter had definitely diminished to grunts and the occasion expletive and around mile 9, I let Keri and Moe know that I was hurting. I was feeling off, my foot was cranky and all around I was just not in a good way.

However, I had my eyes on a PR. Originally I’d wanted to fall within the 2:30-2:40 range, which would have been a huge PR (of nearly 25-15 minutes) but I felt was doable. As I looked at my watch, I realized that wasn’t going to happen and got a bit disheartened. I knew we’d come in within the 2:40s, which would still be a PR for me (I’m a slow runner, striving to be faster) but I think under different circumstances, things would have played out differently.

On we went, finally hitting that chocolate station in mile 11. I didn’t want it then and it was pretty yucky because there was chocolate on the ground, wrappers and pieces of melted candy. There was no avoiding it so we just ran on, toward… dun dun dun… the tunnel.

Dizziness washed over me and I felt myself stumble to the side a little. That’s when I asked for Keri’s coconut water (you know I wasn’t feeling great because I am usually not a fan of coconut water!) and I got the “We’re nearly at the finish” pep talk from my girls that I so desperately needed. Coming out of the tunnel there was the 20k mat and two large screen with motivational sayings and our names. After one more water station and pouring a cup of water on my head, we rounded the corner and finally the finish line was in sight.

Usually I kick it at the end of a race but I had no more kick. It was all left on the course, for better and for worse. But thankfully, we were done, and with a six minute PR!

Post race, we hugged, and Keri practically carried me to the fancy bottles of water that were located directly after the finish. Then I got what I wanted more than almost anything… CHOCOLATE MILK.

You thought I was going to say the Tiffany necklace, didn’t you? Well, don’t fret because that was next on the agenda!

Vic took an “official” picture with the ROTC dude. The lines were ridic when we were there.

The Tiffany’s necklace is pretty incredible… but even more, I’m so grateful that I ran this with good friends who were there with me from start to finish. I was surrounded by love the entire weekend, before, during and after the entire race and by friends whom I don’t get to see on a regular basis. I’m truly lucky that I get to experience so many good things with people who have seen me through so many different parts of my life.

Nike is the goddess of victory and this weekend, it was mine.

nwh13

How do you sleep the night before a race? Ever run with Team in Training or at a Nike race before? When’s your next race? I have a couple of smaller races scheduled through the summer but my next half is the Dumbo Double Dare. Considering another local half within the summer months… but what?

Do You Believe In Signs?

March 31, 2014 by Meridith

For the past few months, I’ve been considering running a full marathon. It’s one of those things that I keep saying, “Well, that might be nice to do someday” which is a drastic change from the “Oh hell no!” declaration I made when I first began running three years ago.

I have my eyes set on the Philadelphia Marathon and with registration opening tomorrow, it’s decision time. Of course there are some reservations I have about signing up. Primarily, plantar fasciitis foot pain after a long run and the fact that… well, 26.2 is a ridiculously long distance to run. But never mind that.

Let’s discuss the various signs that are pointing to YES, MERIDITH, YOU NEED TO DO THIS!

#1 Registration is tomorrow and tomorrow is my birthday.

Registrations cost money (yeah, I’m one of those crazy people who pays for my races) and I need to buy myself a birthday present! Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The laying out the money is the easy part of this whole shebang.

#2 The Philadelphia Marathon keeps posting things like this on their Facebook.

photo via Philadelphia Marathon

I think they are trying to lure me with the promise of water, Gatorade, and flying cups. It’s working, Philadelphia Marathon, it’s working.

#3 Philadelphia Marathon is where I watched my first marathon, ran my first road race (the 8k), volunteered and cheered for Kyle.

That’s right, I’ve actually been at the Philadelphia Marathon for the past four years but haven’t participated in the half or full. That obviously needs to change. If I’m going to be there ANYWAY, I might as well be running.

4 years ago when Victoria finished her first marathon – the inspiration to get moving!

#4 I ran the Back on My Feet 5 Miler this weekend (and was in good company with Karen, Cyanne, and Hollie). Karen and I stuck together; within the first mile, our conversation turned to the Philadelphia Marathon. We chatted about pros and cons and thoughts on signing up. During the second mile, we turned a corner, only to face a steep hill.

And this was right in the middle of the street…

Karen says it best on her Instagram photo. (That’s the Philadelphia Marathon logo.)

#5 The time factor. In September my Little kiddo starts full day Kindergarten. Pooks will be in 4th grade. I’m going to have all this free time. (That’s said sarcastically.) But I will have a bit more time to run during the day and maybe even get some of my long runs done on a weekday rather than a weekend.

I could tell you all the doubts, nervousness and negative thoughts (what if, you can’t, but your foot…) swaying me in the other direction but I’d much rather focus on the signs that point to YES.

Have you run a marathon? How did you decide to make the leap? Will I actually do this tomorrow??? (I’m sort of freaking out.)

2014 Adrenaline 5k – PR Assist

March 17, 2014 by Meridith

Jay and I are quickly approaching 11 years of wedded bliss. There’s a lot we have in common, the core being that we are both nerds. We totally and completely geek out over things that we are passionate about. For example, we were both at the Veronica Mars movie Friday night, giggling and chair dancing. (Okay, maybe I was the only one chair dancing.)

Some things he geeks out over, I just… I don’t understand. Like Lord of the Rings. Let’s not even talk about the fact that I didn’t see Star Wars until he forced me to watch it in my late twenties. Or his reaction when I fell asleep while we watched.

To be fair, the pendulum swings the other way as well. I geek out over running. And try as he might, he just isn’t at the same level of Running Geek as I am. Bless his heart! That’s why when he actually signs up for a race and seems slightly excited for it, it makes me even more stoked. Think puppy with peanut butter.

I’ve participated in the Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k for the past three years; the first year I was fairly new to racing and he was there for emotional support, last year he joined me on the course for his first ever 5k. This year we decided to stick together so that I could help him PR.

This race is in its 9th year and the reason why I think it’s an area favorite is because of one simple fact- it’s a race for runners, by runners. The Haddonfield (Moorestown/Mullica Hill) Running Company has been in business for 17 years and hosts the event; they know what runners want.

Close parking – CHECK
Packet pickup both prior to and on race day – CHECK
Fun/fast course – CHECK
Party after at the store – CHECK
Another party that evening at a bar – CHECK (not that we were there, but parties are always a good time!)

Since it’s a favorite among the area residents, we always see a good handful of people we know at this race. It’s not uncommon to post “Who’s going to be at the Adrenaline 5k?” on Facebook and have resounding YESES come back at’cha.

Hail, hail, the gang’s all here!

It was a bit rainy prior to the race which was a surprise and we all watched the clouds overhead to see what Mother Nature was going to throw at us. However, she was just playing around this time. Probably because she knew it was Megan’s 40th birthday!

Close to 9am, Jay and I moseyed on over to the starting line, waving to our fast friends and placing ourselves toward the back of the pack.

Just over 900 runners.

The game plan was pretty straight forward, we’d run the first straight away and then switch to 1:1 intervals for the remainder of the race. I decided to ditch my watch and just go with what Jay felt comfortable with, taking my cues off of him for pace.

Promptly at 9am, the race started and we crossed the mat around 1:06. From there, I followed Jay. The first half mile or so, I hung directly behind him so that he could weave and find a comfortable spot in the pack. The race is through the local town which is super cute, so I spent a good portion of the run checking out the houses and waving to the residents along the route.

We took advantage of the down hill (that comes before the uphill in this race) and Jay grabbed a quick drink of water around 1.8 miles. There’s one uphill and it comes just before the mile 2 mark. I wasn’t sure how Jay would approach it but when I tell you that he FLEW up that hill, I’m not exaggerating. He seriously pushed and it was crazy impressive!

As we wound our way back to the main road and the final stretch of the race, I could tell that he was ready to be done. During these times I tried to push the pace on the walking intervals so that he wouldn’t slow down too much.

There were adorable little girls giving high fives in the middle of the street that helped make that last stretch more fun (I was having fun the entire time but I was trying not to be too rah-rah cheerleader). You can see the finish line about a quarter mile down the road and it definitely helps the morale to know you’re nearly done.

Once we were about a tenth a mile away from the finish, Jay was ready to push hard and finish strong. Right around this time, our friends were along the route, cheering as we went by! We crossed the finish line, he stopped Runkeeper and realized he’d hit a personal record, cutting his time by nearly a minute.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Brandi and Sean found us and we got a couple of post-race snacks (they had an assortment of bagels, bananas, oranges and water) before heading over to the Running Company store for the post-race party!

Two of my favorite race buddies.

Why yes, those WOULD be Jersey cakes. Jersey pride!

The store hosts an ah-mazing party, with food from the local catering company, Apron. There was an incredible sweet potato salad that was called Born to Run salad that was so good, it would have made Bruce sing. We chatted with friends, snacked on food, and drank beer (yes, at 10am). And since we were there, Jay and I got our long overdue running shoes.

All in all, an incredible time, as expected! We’ll be back and maybe, just maybe, I’ll turn Jay into a full-fledged Running Geek.

What do you geek out about? Ever run with a friend (or a husband or a wife) and “help” them PR? Did you see Veronica Mars? (Because we should TOTALLY geek out together over that.)

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Author Archives: Meridith