The Most Important Thing About Me

October 25, 2013 by camoozle

My 8 year old daughter recently had to write a paragraph on the most important things about herself. I was excited to read this because my daughter is quite precocious. She comes up with some pretty unique ideas and I couldn’t wait to read about her view on herself. She included a lot of the typical 8 year old priorities: her pets, her toys, she wants to be a comedian when she grows up…but the MOST important thing about her was quite alarming.

She wrote that the MOST important thing about her was that she’s skinny.

Gasp! Choke! Surely, this must be a mistake! My child can’t possibly be that shallow!

How could this have happened? I spent my young life with eating disorders and poor self-esteem and I spent my young adult life recovering from it. It wasn’t until I read the book “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole that I really made peace with food. I’ve gone out of my way to promote healthy eating habits in my children. I don’t make them eat when they don’t want to. I limit their food choices. I make sure they pay attention to their bodies when they’re choosing snacks. It’s always been the one thing I want to protect my children from – food and body issues. And yet, somehow, my daughter came to the conclusion that being skinny was the most important thing about her.

She’s got spirit!

My gut reaction was to start looking for the culprit. Who did this to my child? Was it the Disney Channel and their preteen sitcoms? Or because we let her do cheerleading? Was it the kids at school or the commercials on television or the magazines or the books…

Was it me? Was it my five gym memberships and my protein shakes and my race medals? These are good things, right? Exercise is a good habit, right?

It could very well be all of the above. It could be none of these. But somehow, in her 8 year old brain, healthy and active translated to skinny.

I made her change it. That’s the benefit of having my kids attend the school I teach at. I can obnoxiously intervene any time I want! And intervene I did. We had quite the discussion about how body shape doesn’t make anyone any better than anyone else. We talked about how people come in all shapes and sizes and that what matters is how people treat others. We came up with better adjectives. Active, strong, athletic…and we finally agreed upon healthy.

Healthy. We rarely see health being advertised on television. No celebrity is revered for their excellent organs or spectacular blood pressure. At one point in our evolution, healthy meant viable meant offspring meant survival of the species. And now healthy has become a synonym for skinny.

I do not accept. My kids deserve more. They’re always watching, listening, learning the rules, learning how to cope, taking this world apart and putting it all back together so they can see how it works. And how it’s working lately is not so hot.

Hopefully, I cleared this up with my girl. Because the most important thing about ME is this job called parenting. It’s the most important thing I’ll ever do and being skinny isn’t going to make it any easier. But being physically and mentally healthy just might.

We are the champions!

Chick Chat: Spend a night with the Chicks (and their families!)

October 18, 2013 by scootadoot

You get to see us out and about the town (our towns and other towns) in our race recaps. But we thought we’d take some time to share what we’re doing when we aren’t jet-setting. Which, let’s be honest, is way more often than not!

Cam:

When we’re not scrambling to get baths and make school lunches, we like to play a little non-competitive game! Yep, we’re a family of gamers, from Candyland to XBOX, the Cam Fam likes to get their game on.

My kids enjoy games like Kinect adventures or Wii Bowling. They usually play until they get bored or until one of them loses and blames it on the other one. I’m more of a First Person Shooter RPG kind of gal, choosing to kick a little zombie ass on Left 4 Dead or taking on dragons in Skyrim. Once in a while, when we’re feeling classy, we’ll play chess or cribbage. And we can’t forget Rock Band! I totally got skills when it comes to playing the fake drums on easy.

Brooke:

I actually can’t remember the last time we had a night “in” as a family! We’re a “work hard, play hard” bunch, so we’re usually out at the local arcade, bowling, at the movies or spending time with friends.

Met some pals at Downtown Disney to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.

The kids love to play board and card games- UNO is a current favorite- but that’s more of a Sunday afternoon activity for us. We also take the cards out to restaurants.

A recent date with J- to celebrate a friend’s wedding. Yes, he’s working and I’m…happy.

On nights that we don’t do family outings, we get those kids in bed early, and Josh and I go out on a date. We love to try new restaurants or visit our favorites; usually a local sushi place or the best Italian restaurant in town (where we’ll be tonight for my birthday!).

Vic:

Hubs and I stay in – a lot. It’s not a bad thing, as our nights in actually save a bunch of dough.

Sure we love a nice meal out, but we both have odd diets and quite honestly, what hubs makes in the kitchen is FAR better than most of what we find in area restaurants. Our typical “Friday night in” scenario involves one or both of us cooking an incredible meal, often using vegetables and herbs from our own garden, paired with Finger Lakes wine for me and some sort of scotch for him. We cook at a leisurely pace on our evenings in, and often, I’ll make a dessert too — banana bread or apple crisp are my favorites. The latest treat was pumpkin bread with chocolate chips… NOM!

Once we have our dinner set to go, we will watch a movie or a DVRed TV show recorded earlier in the week. Who am I kidding, it’s usually Law and Order: SVU.

Mer:

Scouts. Piano lessons. PTO meetings. Late nights at work. It always seems like there’s something to keep us apart, lately. That’s why I love when we actually all get a night in at home together.

There are four in my brood, six if you count our dog and fish. Activities vary but usually include cooking dinner which is most often my task, although my kids love helping in the kitchen. After Jay arrives home (to the sounds of cheers), we eat dinner together and then it’s either “roughhousing” time or games. A lot of that depends on energy levels of the adults!

Two of the favorite games of the moment – both are cute and age appropriate for my 4 and 8 year old boys.

We’re a very routine driven family, which helps my kids immensely so once it’s winding down time, they know what to expect:

1. Bath (or shower)

2. Books – These days “books” consists of Little picking out a zillion books and everyone in the family reading to him. And sometimes, he reads to us!

They are obsessed with each other. And I can’t get enough of them.

3. Bed

After both boys are in bed, Jay and I usually veg out on the couch with a tv show or movie. We catch up on the afternoon’s events (we’re able to have most lunches together too so we’re really lucky in that respect), chatting as we remember things. And hang out for as long as we can stay awake! 😉

Jess:

Since Bug is still a baby (but not for long, wah!), his bedtime is super early. It’s all we can do to get home, eat dinner, and get him ready for bed. It’s like a sprint to the finish line every night.

Needless to say, when he’s all tucked into his crib, Mister Jess and I sprawl out on our couches and chillax (as the kids call it). We DVR most of our shows, so we’ll catch up on those, watch a movie on OnDemand since our movie theater days are few and far between right now, and just generally bum around.

Once in a blue moon, I’ll go out with friends, but oftentimes I’m tucked into bed by 9:30 PM. That kid of mine is an early riser. We do all our partying at 6 AM!

So there you have it! Bec is off with her fam, spending quality time! What do your nights look like? Who’s family would you fit in with? And we’d like to take a moment to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our October Chicks! Vic’s birthday was last Saturday and Brooke’s is today. Big hugs to you both!

The Need For Speed

October 4, 2013 by beewhobabbles

I try not to pay attention to my pace. No, really. I try. My primary focus is adding to my mileage, and I know that I’m not setting a PR at Wine and Dine or any other races I’m doing this year. After taking a year off to have a baby, I’m just not there yet. And I’m okay with that. Mostly. It’s not easy to see the numbers on my garmin and know that I can do better. A lot better. For that reason, it’s just better for me if I don’t pay too much attention to it.

Typically, I run with a garmin, but I don’t check my pace until I finish. I log it into Daily Mile and that’s about it. (Okay, I also text my husband if I’ve had a really good run. Gotta celebrate the little things, you know?)

My treadmill running is a completely different story. I have to pay attention to my pace- it’s right there, after all. There’s also the urge to finish my run as quickly as possible, now that I’m running longer distances- who wants to be on the treadmill for over an hour? (I can’t believe that I once ran 12 miles on the ‘mill. There aren’t enough My Drunk Kitchen episodes in the world for me to do that now.)

Lately, I’ve been doing at least one treadmill run a week. Sara and I are both in half-marathon training, but we also have a five miler coming up soon, and for that, we have a time goal. Hooray! Treadmill days are speed days.

Speedy runs require fast beats. I danced for most of my childhood, and later taught aerobics, so my internal metronome still tick, tick, ticks to most sounds. I can’t help but try to match my feet to the beat! I also dig faster tunes on the ‘mill because it motivates me to run faster more naturally, instead of just keeping up with whatever pace I’ve selected.

My current favorite run-faster song (there are times I will listen to it twice during a run) is Church by T-Pain featuring Teddy Verseti. (I’ve said it before, but the Step Up 2 soundtrack is king.)

There are websites that list songs for a specific pace, but what’s the point of having running buddies (and blog readers) if you can’t ask them for advice? I turned to some members of Team Scoot A Doot to find out their speed jam recommendations.

Mer-
B.O.B. – Outkast
Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
American Girl – Tom Petty

Brandi-
Let’s Go – Neyo
Applause – Lady Gaga (even though I am not a Gaga fan)
Where The Streets Have No Name – U2

Kyle-
Eye of the Tiger – Survivor. Because it’s hard not to run fast when the music is telling you to be like Rocky.
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson. Self-explanatory.
Applause – Lady Gaga. This one is new and since I still really like it (and it hasn’t been played to death on the radio) I get excited when it comes on and I always go a little faster.

Megan-
Dog Days are Over – Florence and the Machine
Red Hands – Walk off the Earth
Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men
Cruise (Remix) – Florida Georgia Line, featuring Nelly
Some Nights – Fun
The Idea of You (Live) – Dave Matthews Band
SexyBack – Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland)
More – Usher
Sexy and I Know It – LMFAO (yeah, what can I say…)
The Truth about Love – P!nk (featuring Nate Ruess)
I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons
I Know You Want Me – Pitbull
Stronger – Kanye West
Let it Rock – Kevin Rudolf

I didn’t ask Vic, because she runs sans music, but I did get to pick her brain about pace plans for upcoming races over breakfast yesterday. She’s in my ‘hood for the Disney Tower of Terror 10 miler, and she skipped a morning at Magic Kingdom to hang with me and my little dude. That’s real friendship, y’all.

Vic and Brooke

I’m ready to hit up iTunes, so please share your speed jams with me! Are you racing this weekend? Good luck!

Climbing the Walls

September 24, 2013 by camoozle

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m a bit attention deficit. A couple years ago, I was diagnosed with Adult ADD and Depression. I get distracted easily, I switch topics, I talk during movies. Actually, I talk all the time. I can’t stop the thoughts from flowing out of my brain and into the universe where they are likely clogging up some cosmic energy highway. And I get bored. A lot. Right now, I’m bored with my fitness routine. In one way, I love routine. It’s dependable and I know what to expect. I know I won’t fail because I’ve done it before. For example, I know I can run a half marathon on very little sleep and/or training and still live. Yeah, I might be miserable the whole time and it’ll probably take me the entire four hours to finish…but I am confident I will finish.

Inevitably, there comes a point in my workout routine where I give up. I stop going to the gym. I hit snooze when my morning run alarm goes off. I give in to a bunch of cravings that I haven’t indulged in months, which usually means chili fries and beer for dinner. Staying fit for me really is a two steps forward, one step back process. And I’ve totally made peace with that. But in order to recharge my fitness battery, I need lots of different activities. I’m a member of five different gyms. FIVE. I’m paying five different establishments when I could, theoretically, weight train in my living room and run my neighborhood for free. Instead, I’m spending a small fortune because of my workout ADD.

One of the places I’ve joined is Hangar 18 Indoor Climbing Gym. I don’t know what I was thinking when I signed on for this. I’m afraid of heights and I have trust issues…rock climbing probably isn’t something that is going to come naturally to me. I struggle with it every time. And that’s why I’m hooked!

Or it could just be the shoes.

My first experience climbing the indoor rock walls tested all my limits. First, I had to properly settle into my harness. There is nothing more flattering than a strap of canvas cutting off the circulation to your groin. I spent a great deal of time worrying about the way the harness made my butt look. Someone was going to be standing down below me. I wanted to make sure they had the best view I had to offer. Once I was uncomfortably strapped into the device, I had to sit and listen to this dude teach me how to belay my climbing partner. Do you even understand how hard it is for me to sit and listen when there are colorful things to touch? I thought the training would make me feel more secure but my partner was my strong, yet tiny, friend Amy. I was seriously doubting her ability to support my weight if I fell, even with the help of the pulley system and her amazing biceps.

Does this harness make my butt look big?

Once our instructor turned us loose, fear immediately took over. The idea is to keep to one path, using only the grips that are color coded for a specific climb. The climbs are rated by difficulty. That red one I’m on in that pic was rated as super easy…the second to the easiest climb in the building. What makes the task so difficult is that you have to problem solve as you’re climbing. You’re supposed to survey the layout and find the best path up with the holds you are given. It’s like a game of chess, only with more sweat. My problem is that the best path isn’t always evident to me so I waste a great deal of energy just holding on while I determine my next move. Then my hip would start to cramp or my fingers would give out. Then I’d think of falling and how that would probably catapult poor Amy into the air. It was an awful sight in my head.

This was my problem. I couldn’t get out of my head long enough to focus on figuring out a strategy. And I realized, as I was straddling this wall and holding on for dear life, that this was a metaphor for my entire life. And you know what I did? I gave up. Yep. I called down to Amy that I was ready to fall. She tried to push me, telling me I could do it, but I felt so uncomfortable with my new epiphany that I couldn’t stand to be up on that wall for another second.

I tried a second climb but it ended pretty similarly to the first. Halfway up and I bailed. I was starting to piss myself off. The more I failed at this, the more motivated to conquer my fears I became. I didn’t make it all the way to the top that first day of climbing. I still haven’t made it all the way to the top. But there’s something therapeutic that comes from the stress I feel during climbs. It’s exhilarating to know I am strong enough to literally lift myself up and over a mountain. Even if the mountain is made of plastic. I’m excited to see where this exercise will lead me. And I’m excited to experience what it will be like when I finally reach the top.

Like a Boss

The final “Chick on Chick” – Cam Takes Center Stage

September 6, 2013 by Meridith

Cam and I have known each of for the past three years, although I can honestly say that I feel like I’ve known her forever. She’s one of those people I can’t get enough of; I love every minute we spend together, miss her when we are apart (most of the time) and get legitimately excited when I hear from her in any form of communication. While the other Chick interviews were written, we decided to go a different route (mostly because I miss her so much) and do our interview video style.

Cool? Cool!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpxBcohjJ4w&w=640&h=360]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRd8UKuXyAo&w=640&h=360]

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEdaGpOQC_4&w=640&h=360]

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHIcSggotFE&w=640&h=360]

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfEArgQcJOY&w=640&h=360]

That concludes our first Chick on Chick series! If you missed anyone, feel free to check out our past interviews: Mer (that’s me!), Bec, Brooke, Jess and Vic.

Happy Friday!

Don’t Call Us “Mellow Yellow”

September 4, 2013 by beewhobabbles

We’re painting the month yellow here at Scoot A Doot, and we’re off to an incredible start. I am so inspired by my chicks and our friends who’ve joined our team. It’s only been three days, and already we’ve run, walked, skipped or jumped over 145 miles! We’ve also raised over $600. IN THREE DAYS. I’m completely bowled over by the support for this cause, and so thankful that I know wonderful people, who know other wonderful people. (And I’m sort of lost with the words over this. Truly.)

When we decided to participate in the Million Mile Run, we weren’t sure what our goal would be. Teams are supposed to run 100 miles, collectively, and right away, we knew that we’d surpass that with ease. Some of us are training for long distance races, one of us is running her way through Napa this month, and one of us walks as her primary mode of transport. We’re a pretty ambitious bunch though, and since our mindset for this event was “Go BIG or go home,” we each set our sights on an individual goal.

BEC:

My goal is 13.1 miles for the month. I’m hoping for more but i wanted a workable goal and I’ve done a half in a month before so that seemed good.

This will be achieved primarily through walking, although i am restarting C25K, so there will be some running.

Because my phone died, and my replacement phone is on backorder, I’ll be using the local high school track as my mileage guide, and logging my time manually in Runkeeper. And once my phone gets here, I’ll be all about my Runkeeper and Couch to 5k training apps.

JESS:

I typically walk about three miles a day, so I know I can hit 90 miles by the end of the month without any problem. My secret goal is 100 miles – still doable but it will definitely require more effort. I’ll be stoked if I hit that!

To achieve it, I plan to keep doing what I’m doing: by walking around the city as much as possible. Once I’m back to 100% health (summer colds are the worst!) I plan to run on the weekends as well.

I’ll be tracking miles with My Fitbit One, of course!

MER:

My miles for the Million Mile Run will be taking place during gym warm up (I usually average two prior to an hour of strength/cardio) and while my kids are at school. I’m going to try to streak as much as my schedule will allow this month and get at least a mile a day because, really, why not? The weekends will be dedicated to long runs.

I usually use my Garmin or just general knowledge to track my miles (I do my quarter mile stretch prior to the gym sans watch). However I’m getting a Fitbit within the next couple of days so perhaps I’ll use that to track my mileage. I’m excited to play with a new gadget and there’s really no better way to break it in!

VIC:

The Million Mile run happens to fall into my schedule at the same time I ramp up my mileage as I prepare for the NYC Marathon. As I look at my training schedule, I see that my long runs alone total more than 60 miles in September. So – I’ve decided to set my goal for 100 miles. I think my training should bring me pretty close, if not over the century mark. I was already nearly 1/5 of my way to my goal on Sept. 1, as I run an 18-miler in Watertown, NY.

I plan to run 4-5 days each week, with a little cross-training of swimming or spinning thrown in. Now while I do train with a Garmin (forerunner 210, folks!) I typically am lax about downloading said information into a fancy spreadsheet, but I do write my mileage, pace and time on my weekly running log. Now don’t laugh, but it’s all kept in a weekly pocket calendar from Target’s dollar spot. It’s old school, but it works for me.

BROOKE:

As for me, I plan to run 75 miles this month. I’m at the beginning of my training for Wine and Dine, and 75 is slightly over the planned mileage, but I’m going over on most of my runs already anyway. (Sorry, Hal Higdon.)

Cross training will be walking with my family or hanging with Hannah on the elliptical (does that count?), and all miles will be tracked by my trusty Garmin.

I’m sporting my yellow today (good thing I have a lot of it!) and I can’t wait to see how much we run- and raise- to help support children’s cancer research.

Please donate if you’re moved to do so. Thanks.

Have you ever done a running streak? What are you currently training for? Tell me how much you love your FitBit (my mom has a birthday soon and I’m eyeing it for a gift!) What yellow clothing do you have in your closet?

“Chick on Chick” – Episode V – All Eyes on Vic!

August 30, 2013 by camoozle

Are you ready for the scoop? I’ve got the goods on our Chick Vic! This is the fifth installment of our “Chick on Chick” series aka the one in which Cam asks Vic a bunch of random yet very important questions. In case you missed all the action, click here to learn more about Jess, Brooke, Bec, and Meri.

“Vic”torious!

I first met Vic during the Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run in Philly. We were both there to roll in the mud with chick Meri and I’ve been trying to get her in a Ragnar van ever since. Between chasing down homicides and running marathons, this chick knows how to have an adventure! We all know Vic’s an inspirational runner, but I wanted to get down and dirty with Vic. Really ask the hard-hitting questions, about important stuff like toenails and reality shows. So here’s the 411 on this top-notch reporter and superior pig roaster (which may or may not occur simultaneously).

Cam: First things first, how many toenails do you have?

Vic: “You know you’re a runner when….”
All of my toenails are on my feet. (There’s a sentence I never expected to write!) But only 6 of my 10 toenails can be described as normal. I’ve pretty much lost one toenail per marathon. My left foot looks great and the nails on my right foot, well, look stressed. I often paint them in the summer to hide how horrible they really are. I pretend it works, but I know it doesn’t. And I cringe when I get a pedicure. It’s rather embarrassing so I rarely go.

Cam: Gimme your Top 5 Bands of all time.

Vic: I love music, but am the girl who never knows names of bands, songs or albums. Don’t get me wrong, I can belt out a 20-year-old song with the best of them but if you ask me what it’s called and who sings it, I will come up blank pretty much every time.

So instead, I’ll tout my favorite all-time band, The Beatles. John, Paul, George and Ringo – I feel like they’ve been with me through many stages of my life. I have many albums, including the coveted Sgt. Peppers’ on LP, though don’t ask me where the coveted paper dolls went. The Beatles are tried and true and have stood the test of time. I can pop on an album and sing along… And I’ve been to Penny Lane, Abbey Road, Strawberry Fields and the famous Cavern Club. Too bad I never met Jude.

*Please Note*

Vic receives 1up for this response. I, too, claim the fab four as my most favorite band of all time!

Cam: What is your most cherished item in your closet? Besides your running shoes, of course…

Vic: I don’t really have one cherished item as I destroy clothes. I have skirts I wear often and one super flattering dress that makes weekly appearances in the summer months. One special item that’s been in my closet for 28 years, is hooded sweatshirt from my childhood. It’s an old swimming zip-up hoody from 1985. Yes, I still have it. Yes, I still wear it. Yes, I’ve tried to part with it more than once. No, I’m not giving it up.

Cam: If you could live in any era, which decade would you choose?

Vic: My husband and I chat about this often. I’d love to have seen what life was like in the 30s. I know it was amidst the Great Depression and World War II, but it’s also when the city I live in hit its stride. I’d love to know what Rochester NY was like in its heyday. It was a simpler time, and the downtown where I work was BOOMING. Plus, my father was a child in the 30s and I would have loved to have known what he was like as a kid. Would we have been friends?

Cam: Which superpower would you want?

Vic: I’d love the ability to transport myself in an instant. I want to travel across the country, or world, in a flash. I don’t get to see my loved ones as often as I like – my sister lives in Australia, my cousins are in Ecuador and my best friend and parents are a six-hour drive away. I’d pop in for dinner, family gatherings or emergencies and to surprise my loved ones.

Cam: Who are your heroes?

Vic: There are so many I could say, but I will go with a homegrown hero, Susan B. Anthony. An independent woman at a time in history when women toed the line, Anthony fought for equality. She was a key advocate for the 19th century women’s suffrage movement — and didn’t back down from a challenge. She voted in 1872, full well knowing she would be arrested for her action. She wanted to make a difference for others, to be heard. “Failure is impossible,” she said. I try to remember that motto any time I face a challenge.

Cam: Cast your perfect reality show.

Vic: Do I get to pick the people in it? I’m not a huge fan of reality TV, but if I could pick anyone from recent history to put into a room and interview, I’d round up Walt Disney, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, Steve Jobs and Bob Woodward. All incredible trailblazers in my eyes.

Trailblaze on, my friend! Do you have any questions for Vic? Do you also love the Beatles? Chat with us in the comments!

More “Chick on Chick” action: The Jess Chronicles

August 23, 2013 by vfreile

Ready for the fourth installment of Chick-on-Chick interviews? I am!

In case you missed earlier installments, you can rewind (and click on the names) to learn more about Brooke, Meri and Bec.

Jess and her Bug

Jess and I haven’t actually met in person…yet! But Meri has never led me wrong with a friendship connection, so when she suggested I chat with the lovely Jess, I did. A beautiful friendship was born!

Vic: You’re a new mom! Aside from the handsome boy we all adore, how has your life changed since he was born?

Jess: Gosh, how has it NOT changed? Besides the obvious things, like weekends filled with play dates, early mornings (and really early bedtimes!), and needing to attend to his needs 24/7, I think my perspective has completely shifted. I don’t get hyped up about the little things quite as much, which I think is a good thing! I can be high strung, so it’s good to have him as a reminder of what’s really important.

Vic: What do you like to do when you ultimately get some time to yourself?

Jess: I love to shop! I go down to Union Square and get an iced coffee then kind of wander around. Inevitably I’ll come home with something for Bug. Baby Gap owns me!

I get a couple hours to myself when he goes to bed, too, so I’ll catch up on celebrity gossip and DVRed shows, or cuddle with Mister Jess. Or read! Reading is up there, and I don’t get to do it often enough anymore.

Vic: Time seems to fly away from me too. Which chick did you meet first and how did you meet her?

Jess: Meri was the first chick I met. We started talking online due to a shared love of writing and then met for real at Comic Con down in San Diego in 2010 (which is kind of hilarious because we are definitely not the Comic Con demographic). But I remember that moment of seeing her in the airport and running toward her clear as day! We hugged for about ten minutes. It was very romantic. 😉

Vic: That sounds so dreamy. And I have had similar encounters with Meri in airports. By the way, am I the only one you haven’t met in person? We must rectify that!!!

Jess: I haven’t met Bec either! But yes, we must rectify it SOON!

Vic: Tell us more about your love of dance! Did you train and take lessons as a child? What is your fave dance style?

Jess: I did take lessons when I was little. I did ballet with my cousin, Charity, and dabbled in tap and jazz. But I think when it comes to dance, I’m just a free spirit. As much as I would love to be an accomplished dancer prancing around on the stage of “So You Think You Can Dance”, choreography and I just never really mixed. I have to do my own thing!

But dancing makes me happy, in any capacity. I have such a strong emotional connection to music and I think dancing is an extension of that.

Vic: Aw, I love it. How did you meet your husband, Mr. Jess? Through dance? How long have you known each other?

Jess: We met online in an AOL chat room. Seriously! This was eleven years ago before Match and eHarmony and basically any other kind of dating website. And neither of us were there to date anyway. It was just all very random and kismet-y, right place at the right time, etc. I have an entry in my journal from that first night we “met” where I said I was going to marry him, and lo and behold, I did!

Vic: That was so meant to be! You have what many fashionistas would consider a dream job! Please tell is about what you do and why you love it.

Jess: I’m a product developer for a makeup company, which basically means that I get to create some of the makeup shades and kits that people eventually see on shelves (and hopefully buy). It’s what I went to school for, although I focused on apparel there. Then I did an internship at another local cosmetics company and fell in love with the industry, and eventually ended up at my current company.

Sometimes I look at my job from afar and think, “whoa, this is pretty cool!” It’s definitely a unique industry, and I also love that it’s female-dominated. Seeing so many successful women around me really inspires me.

Vic: That is pretty inspirational. 🙂 What feat are you most proud of in your post-college life?

Jess: I’m proud of the fact that I left home at 19 to go to college in a different state (my mom is probably crying reading this, haha. I love you, Mom!). I’ve dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for most of my life, so looking back I’m like, “how the hell did I do that?” I’m proud of the fact that I got through some of my roughest years anxiety-wise, and that I didn’t give up on staying in California with Mister Jess. Just overall, given the (often self-imposed) obstacles I faced, I’m really, really proud of the life I’ve built.

Vic: As you should be! So… what fitness accessory can you not live without and why?

Jess: My Fitbit! This will surprise no one, as I have mentioned on the blog and our Twitter how obsessed I am. I freaking love that thing and I get upset if I forget to put it on. It’s so fun to see how many steps I’ve taken at the end of the day, how many calories I’ve burned, how many stairs I’ve climbed. I feel like such a bad ass!

Vic: You ARE a bad-ass! But what, if anything, would you change about yourself?

Jess: Definitely my anxiety. I mean, it’s certainly taught me things and I think I’ve grown from my struggles with it, but I feel like even when I have no reason to be anxious, the thoughts just pop up and I can’t control them. That’s the most frustrating part about it, that thoughts just come without permission and then they kind of take root there. I think about when Bug gets older, is he going to see me struggle with it? Will that affect him in any way? I want to protect him from it, but at the same time it’s such a part of me that I know I won’t be able to 100%.

Vic: You’ve definitely grown over the years. We all do! Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Jess: Given how fast this year has gone, that’s right around the corner! I don’t know where I’ll be…maybe in the ‘burbs. Hopefully I’ll be writing. I’ll be the mom of an almost-10-year-old (ack!). Still dancing, of course. And happy. I definitely see myself being happy.

There you go! That was the chronicles of our own Jess. Is there anything more you’d like to ask Jess? Anything you want to know for future Chick interviews? If so, let us know in the comments!

What Do You Put On Your Race-Day Face?

August 20, 2013 by beewhobabbles

When I was a four years old, my aunt let me play with her make-up. Shimmery pink blush, purple eye shadow, frosted fuschia on the lips and voila- I was beautiful. My mom wasn’t happy about it, but after that, it became a ritual. Every time I visited my aunt, I headed straight for her vanity. My experimenting continued as I got older; in high school, my friends and I would drive to the best mall in our city and head straight for the make-up counter at Saks. In college, my friends would “schedule” appointments with me for make-up before sorority functions. I still love make-up. I love to wear it. I love to play with it. I have fun trying different products and colors (I wore a bright fuschia lip recently, much to my husband’s dismay. He prefers my “natural” look). I could spend an hour in Sephora and then head across the street to Ulta. (Sorry, husband.)

Fun make-up for a super cool concert we saw a few weeks ago. Alright, it was Kidz Bop. Le sigh.

Earlier this month, I went for a run at 3pm. That morning, I applied some light make-up, and neglected to scrub it off before heading outside to exercise. Well, within five minutes, my tinted moisturizer and mascara were stinging my eyes! Ouch. I sweat a lot when I run, and get pretty flushed, so there’s really no need for make-up. If it didn’t melt off of my face (or into my eyes), one wouldn’t be able to see it post-race anyway. I wondered if my friends wore make-up during their races, especially my girly-gals, so I decided it was time for some chick chat.

BEC:

I don’t think I ever realized that people wore makeup for races until I was getting ready for last year’s Color Me Rad with my friend Heather and she was doing her eyes. And honestly, I was shocked. It had never occurred to me to put makeup on for a race. Even once I knew that this was a thing people do, I didn’t. Most of the time, I’m all ‘I’m a girl! I like pink! I like sparkle! I like pretty!’. But on race day, in addition to being a nervous wreck, I’m all ‘I’m about to go get truly gross and stinky and sweaty. You can keep your eyeshadow, thanks.’ The most you’ll see me rocking on race day is tinted moisturizer. And I promise you, that’s pushing it.

CAM:

I wear waterproof mascara occasionally. But usually I’m just al natural.

JESS:

I rarely go out into the world without makeup. The first 8 weeks of Bug’s life were an exception, mainly because I barely knew my own name! I don’t always view makeup as a necessity, but I love how it makes me feel (yes, and look) and I really try to wear makeup with good-for-me ingredients so I’m not gunking up my skin.

$A small fraction of Jess's make-up stash.$

A small fraction of Jess’s make-up stash.

At any rate, I do almost always wear makeup on race day. I have to be camera-ready, even if I end up sweating the majority of it off! Typically, I wear a lightweight powder foundation with SPF to get my sun protection on, a coat of waterproof mascara, and a little bit of blush or bronzer to keep me from looking too pale. Finally, I swipe on some lip balm and I’m good to go!

MERI:

Nope. None, except for Chapstick. I used to skip it occasionally until my lip started to crack and bleed during the AC April Fool’s Half Marathon. Otherwise, au naturale for this gal. Though I will do my hair sometimes, only to have it immediately frizz up once I start running. Good times, good times.

Fresh-faced Brooke and Meri before the Rothman Institute 8k.

VIC:

If I remember to apply eyeliner before I grab my homebrewed coffee and leave for work, I consider my morning routine a success. I am a eyeliner and chapstick girl. I wear little and figure that my glasses hide most of what I don’t want people to see. (Please don’t tell me if I am wrong here, I really don’t want to know if the glasses are actually high-lighting wrinkles and dark circles.)

I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear I run without any makeup on. And races? Forgetaboutit. I’m lucky if I can get out the door with everything I need. I have a few friends who style their hair and apply makeup before sporting competitions. Hair? Hell yes, I am guilty as I love sporting pigtails.

A few years back, when I rowed in an 8-woman boat at the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, I came across some other masters’ women wearing makeup. The killer? The group applied next to the portajohns, which no longer housed any toilet paper. (Free tip for HOTC-goers – bring LOTS tissue packs. It will save you.)

But those ladies? They were far more concerned about looking great and putting their faces on pre-race and taking some pictures. Me – I’ll stretch, check my footstretchers and use those tissues for a last-minute toilet stop.

Do you wear make-up for a race? Let us know in the comments!  

A little ‘Chick on Chick’ action – Part 3

August 16, 2013 by writeitdownjess

Ready for the third installment of Chick-on-Chick interviews? Join us as we ask questions and sing “Getting To Know You” – but not at the same time. Missed the first two interviews? Just click here and here to get to know Meri and Bec!

Jess on Brooke

Brooke and I met a few years ago and hit it off right away. We have a ton in common: we are mega girly-girls, huge readers, love to shop, and our adorable boys were born within weeks of each other. Needless to say, it’s probably a good thing that we are on separate coasts or I’d be at her house every day wanting to hang out! She is sweet, funny, has a killer smile and is basically just all-around fabulous.

Want to get to know her better? Of course you do. Read on!

Jess: You’ve got some of the cutest kids in the world. What’s your favorite thing to do with them?

Brooke: Awww, thanks! I think they’re pretty cool too. I love to do art projects with them. We have an art cart that is loaded with paints, pencils, crayons, markers, oil pastels-you name it, we’ve got it. They love to draw and paint, and it’s neat to see what they create when they have free art time. Of course, I organize projects for them too. A friend and I co-hosted “Messy Art Mondays” this summer, and we had a lot of fun with that.

Jess: And what’s your favorite thing to do when you have that oh-so-coveted “me time”?

Brooke: Sleep! Go to yoga (which I get to do this weekend). Read. It’s hard with the baby- he’s still nursing frequently and sleeping on me. We do attachment parenting, so I don’t get a lot of alone time, and if I do, it isn’t a very long amount of time! That’s why hot yoga is difficult to schedule; the class itself is 80 minutes long, plus a 35 minute drive there, and then home, at which point I have to shower because I’m literally drenched.

Jess: Ah yes, I love trying to time activities between nursing sessions and/or naps! It’s the ultimate ticking clock.

Jess: Do you have a favorite tradition from childhood? Is it something you’ve implemented with your own kiddos, or have you made new traditions as a family?

Brooke: My childhood traditions were centered around holidays. We always went to sunrise service on Easter, which we started doing two years ago (before that it was way too hard to make a 6am church service). We watched “A Christmas Story” on Christmas Eve, which we don’t do yet because the kids are a little young. My husband’s family always had an Easter egg hunt, and we do that still, with my in-laws (and we grown-ups hunt for eggs with money in them!).

One of our new traditions is a holiday party the day before Christmas Eve; we have a group of friends and family who come over for tacos and margaritas.

Jess: Christmas Eve would be one of the times you’d find me on your doorstep. Tacos and margaritas are two of my favorite things.

Jess: We’re both big shoppers. It’s one of the first thing we did together when we hung out, and I adore your style! What do you have your eye on these days (so I can add it to my own list)?

Brooke: I love your style! That was before we had talked a lot online, and we clicked right away, over shoes and make-up at Nordstrom. I can’t wait to go back to SF so I can see you again.

I really want these boots: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/search/28752921.jsp?cm_vc=SEARCH_RESULTS. Anthro has some pretty shoes this season!

Jess: You need to come back soon! My wallet would disagree, but what does it know? I love those boots, by the way. I always think of you when I go to Anthro.

Jess: You can only watch one movie for the rest of your life. What is it?

Brooke: Oh geez, that’s a tough question. Probably Sleepless in Seattle or maybe Clueless or Mean Girls. Those are movies I’ve watched over and over again and they never get old.

Jess: Tell me about your best date ever.

Brooke: Ever?! Hmmm. You know, I dated a very romantic boy in high school who took me for a picnic on the beach. He came up with the idea all on his own, and that was the first time I felt really wooed, you know? Of course, my first date with Josh would have to be labeled the “best ever” since he became my husband and my best friend and the love of my life. We met to hear some live music at a local bar- ten years ago this month, actually.

Jess: Awww. You two are adorable. A beach picnic in high school is pretty romantic, too, especially for high school!

Jess: When it comes to fitness, what’s something you’ve achieved that you’re really proud of?

Brooke: My PR half, definitely. (1:57:52) I hope I have a faster time in me but if not, I know I worked really hard to achieve that time.

Jess: You are a rock star, B!

Jess: This interview wouldn’t be complete without a book-related question. It’s how most of us Scoot chicks met, after all! So, tell me: what’s a book you could read over and over again?

Brooke: Any of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems, haha. I do read those over and over already. Probably Pride and Prejudice. I adore Mr. Darcy!

There you have it, the fabulosity that is Chick Brooke! Did I miss any questions? Anything you want to know for future Chick interviews? If so, let us know in the comments!

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