Quarantine Humor

Please notice that I didn't say "Coronavirus Humor"--I am not saying that the virus is humorous in any way.

I have to admit, I have been cracking up at memes about quarantine/social distancing ever since it started. I know it's terrible! I honestly don't mean to make light of what is happening. (I actually had this post in my "drafts" folder for a while, because I wasn't sure if I should share it.)

The world is so bizarre now. Everything that we do has to be done differently due to this virus! It has obviously had a devastating effect on SO many people. And the quarantine hasn't been the greatest, either.

However, there are some memes that you have to admit make you chuckle a little. These are some of them that made me laugh! (I truly do not mean any disrespect... please believe that)

Yes, the virus has been devastating. My sister has told me of some of her patients who have been on ventilators or who have even died, and I don't think that it's something to joke about. However, for those of us who have been under "quarantine", these are some humorous ways of looking at the situation.

With all of the doom and gloom of 2020, if we didn't have a sense of humor, I don't know how many of us would make it through the year!

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A Q & A Interview with Jerry

I've gotten several requests over the years for Jerry to write another guest post, but when I mention it to him, he said he has no idea what to write about. Since I've been having trouble coming up with things to write about lately (per groundhog day quarantine), I thought I'd do a Q&A with him.

I asked on Facebook and Instagram for questions that you might have for Jerry.

Now, I have to say, that I am DYING to take control of this post and write little asterisks about pretty much everything that he says so I can explain (more about his answers)... but I'm going to restrain myself and let him take the reins. I cannot be blamed for anything he says! ;)

Here goes... (and remember, a lot of what he says is tongue-in-cheek! He's not a very "serious" person. He was even voted "class clown" in high school, if that helps. Which is actually one of the things that made me most attracted to him!)

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Q: What is the status of your stomach/spontaneous vomiting issues?
A: I don't know how or why it stopped, but it hasn't happened for the last month or so. I have indigestion and heartburn, but the vomiting just stopped randomly.

Q: What kind of work do you do?
A: I work for a major glass manufacturer in the department that makes the glass. It's a very hot, busy, and complicated environment.

Q: What advice do you have for husbands wanting to support their wives during their weight loss/wanting to become a runner journey?
A: Just get on board with it--be as supportive as possible. Don't feel neglected and if possible, join them on the journey.

Q: What is your favorite memory?
A: Going to the Star Wars celebration in Chicago last April--seeing all the nerds, displays, collections, actors, and characters from the entire Star Wars universe.

Q: What is your favorite meal that Katie makes?
A: Pork Chops & Rice

Q: How has Katie's bipolar affected your relationship? Can you feel when an episode is coming on? Do you feel like the boys are aware of it?
A: I don't even know how to explain that *laughs*. It's a constant worry and a constant adjustment. It's hard not to take things personally. And I have to choose my battles when it comes to what to argue about or when to speak up about things. Mostly, I just go with the flow. I cannot feel when an episode is coming on, because I don't feel like they are "episodes". It just happens like hitting a switch. I don't think that the kids notice because it's always been like this, but the more education you have on it, the more aware you are. Everything happens so rapidly. The kids just know what they have always known.

Q: Pirates or Ninjas??
A: Pirates. Because of the booty. And because they're on boats. And they have hooks. And some of them have swords.

Q: How are you doing with your depression? Is it under control?
A: It's still there... It's under control, but it's still THERE. Knowing that it's still there is worrysome. I know it's there and I feel it's there, but I keep myself busy to try to keep my mind off it.

Q: How do you feel living with someone that I consider "famous" (from the documentary "From Fat to Finish Line", magazine features, and popular blogger)?
A: It's just Katie. I know that people know Katie, but it's not like we have paparazzi sitting on our lawn. The closest thing to "celebrity" we have is when we go to Kroger and she doesn't smile at everyone when we walked by and later she gets a comment on her blog about how much of a "smug c*nt" she is because she walked through Kroger and "gave me a dirty look".

Q: What is your best advice for someone who supports someone going through a mental health crisis? Do you feel like you've made mistakes, or is there anything you would have done differently?
A: Throw strikes. (*inside joke*). My best advice is to read up on it and understand it. Don't take things personally, and it's not about you. You're going to make mistakes because everybody does--I make mistakes 30 times a day. Via text message. Learn to listen; learn to validate feelings; and learn how to meme, because memes cure everything.

Q: Do you have any running or fitness routines?
A: No. But not for lack of wanting (or needing). I looked at myself in the mirror the other day and I looked like a bowl of potato salad (round on the bottom and lumpy on top).

Q: How do you support Katie when she is depressed?
A: I pay extra attention to massaging her feet and I make sure she always has ice to chew. I try to do little things around the house (dishes, etc) to try to help out.

Q: What are your top five bands from your high school years?
A: Ooooooohhhh...
-Rage Against the Machine
-Korn
-The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
-Incubus
-Alice in Chains

Q: What is your favorite brewery and why?
A: Griffin Claw Brewing from Birmingham, Michigan. I've never had a bad beer by them--everything has been excellent. If you've ever have the chance to try Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA, that's my go-to.

Q: What do you like to do on your days off of work?
A: I like to lounge around the house, catch up on TV shows, and catch up on gaming if I have the chance.

Q: What are your thoughts on The Rise of Skywalker? (Specifically Ben Solo/Kylo Ren)?
A: Oh, man. Katie, you can't type this, I have to type this one...
"I loved TROS and I feel like I'm in the minority. The movie was excellent from start to finish. I can nit-pick through the whole thing like some self-righteous fanboy. I loved the turn of Kylo to Ben, saw it coming from day one but I didn't see it like that. I wish he would've lived through the whole thing but I get it. I am, admittedly, a bigger fan of the Expanded Universe. I love the movies for what they are but I prefer the written stories."

Q: Are you excited for The Mandalorian  season two?
A: YES! I need some live action Ahsoka! The first season was excellent!

Q: Which of Katie's home projects is your favorite and why?
A: I LOVE the island. I love the fact that she built the entire cabinet from scratch and extended the island three-fold and there are so many memories behind it.

Q: Would you do a marathon or a Ragnar with Katie in the future?
A: No, because she'll never do another one ever again! Ever.

Q: Where is your vacation dream spot and why?
A: I would go to Germany, just for historical reasons like WWII, concentration camps... (and, of course, Oktoberfest).

Q: What are your favorite hobbies?
A: I like reading Star Wars novels, video games, softball, disc golf, and listening to music. And watching wrestling.

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world for six months, where would it be and why?
A: Portland, Oregon... to see what the big deal is. It would be a good place to try out because of the weather.

Q: Do you like cats (and dogs and squirrels) as much as Katie? Which cat is your favorite?
A: Yes. But she doesn't love doesn't love dogs. Just Joey. I am predominately a cat person, and even though no cat will replace Chandler, these kittens are pretty damn entertaining. If I had to pick a favorite it would have to be Duck.

Q: With all the crafts and home projects that Katie jumps into, what are some of your favorite hobbies/outlets? Also, is your family close by in Michigan?
A: I like playing softball with friends from work and I disc golf with friends from school. My entire family is in Michigan--most live in Petoskey, which is just south of the Mackinac Bridge (to the upper peninsula).

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There you have it! I bit my tongue and just typed out Jerry's answers however he wanted, even though it was hard not to write anything myself! ;)

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RECIPE: Pork Chops and Rice (or Chicken and Rice)

Ever since Jerry and I started dating in 1999, this has been his favorite meal. I make it a little different than his mom makes it, but it's still his favorite. I actually have a funny story to go along with this recipe:

One time, we were going to eat dinner at my mom's house, and I told him I was going to make Pork Chops & Rice over there, which he was excited about. He was at work, and my mom volunteered to make the dinner instead. We agreed to let Jerry think that I made it. When Jerry tasted it, he said, "Wow, this is really good--even better than when you usually make it!!"  My mom and I laughed and told him that it was actually her that made it. Now, I always joke with Jerry, "Are you sure you don't want my MOM to cook this for you?" ;)

This can also be made with chicken--usually, I'll swap out the celery soup for cream of chicken when I make it with chicken.


Here is a printer-friendly version!


Pork Chops & Rice

12-16 oz. raw boneless pork chops (or chicken breasts), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix

Combine all ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F until the rice is done, stirring about every 30 minutes to check. It usually takes about an hour.

*Note: To speed the cooking up a little bit, I like to boil the water before adding it to the casserole dish.

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No More Messy Bun (my COVID DIY haircut--ugh)

That's how much hair I cut off my head yesterday!

After months of avoiding cutting my hair or coloring over my grays (because I wasn't going out and seeing anyone due to COVID), I finally decided that it was time to cut and dye it. It was actually one of the things on my June checklist of things I needed to do.

Ugh, I am so bummed! I don't know what I was thinking. Instead of doing my usual haircut (a trim, keeping it long but getting rid of the dead ends), I decided to cut it shorter.

To explain, yes--I cut my own hair. Ever since I learned how to do the "ponytail cut" (you put a tight ponytail on the very top of your head and then pull the ponytail straight up and cut off the top of it), I've been doing it for years.

Another way of doing a layered haircut is by using a long clip of some sort--you flip your head upside-down and and brush your hair so that it's going straight down from the top of your head. Then you place it all in a clip and cut across the clip. It literally takes less than three minutes.

I've always been fine with the "ponytail cut". If I was to go to a salon, it's exactly what I would ask for anyways--long layers. Ever since the COVID quarantine, I haven't cut my hair or colored my gray hairs. Since I wasn't seeing anyone, I didn't see the point!

Yesterday, I finally decided that it was time to cut and color my hair. Here is a "before" picture:

Clearly, I need to tweeze my eyebrows, too! Hahaha.

Usually, when I do the ponytail cut, I don't like how long the back of it ends up being, and I end up clipping away at it until it looks how I'd like it to. So yesterday, for some reason, I decided to use a clip instead (I used a "chip clip"--the kind that you typically use for potato chip bags) and I angled it more toward the back of my head rather than straight up (to make the back a little shorter).

Since I wanted to go shorter than usual, I didn't raise the clip as high as I normally would have. I cut across the clip, thinking I had plenty of room (hair) to spare.

When I removed the clip, I felt panicked. I literally almost had a panic attack. I couldn't believe how short it was and especially how short the top layer was! I wasn't sure where I went wrong, but I kept thinking, "Oh, shit!" over and over. This is my "Oh, shit!" face:

I hadn't yet dyed it, so I hoped that covering my gray hairs would help--it would make it look thicker? I don't know. I was just desperately hoping that the color would help!

My hair was a little greasy looking when I cut it (I hadn't washed it ahead of time) so I was betting on it looking thicker after I colored and washed it. I used a different brand of color this time (I always dye it black, which is basically my natural color, only it covers my grays!)

After dyeing it, I still couldn't believe how short it was. I tried putting it into a messy bun (which is my go-to literally EVERY day) and it's too short. I can pull it into a ponytail, but I don't like it like that.

I have no idea what possessed me to cut it shorter in the way that I did (I always think it through before cutting... what exactly will it look like? How long will the sides be? How long will the top be? Etc...)

After cutting and dyeing it, here is what it looks like. Keep in mind, I don't ever "style" my hair--I usually throw it into a messy bun--so this is just mid-air-drying it. I wish I could say I love it, but I don't. I can't wait for it to grow out! (By the way, I tweezed my brows while I was letting the color set.)

It's SO SHORT!

After this, I'm definitely going to stick with my tried-and-true ponytail cut. Or, at the very least, cut a tiny amount off at at time and see what it looks like before cutting more. It feels so weird to have a ponytail instead of a messy bun! Last night, the ponytail holder kept slipping off in the middle of the night--that's how short it is!

I have cut my own hair for YEARS, and I finally made a misjudgment. I'll just blame it on COVID, hahaha ;)

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Another Bad Day

I'm going to do another cop-out post--I'm sorry. I really don't know what is going on with me right now!

I worked on the garage a little today, but only for a couple of hours. I haven't had any energy lately do do much of anything, and it's frustrating. A month ago, I was so excited to go work on the garage from the moment I woke up in the morning; now, I just feel like everything is a chore (not just the garage--I mean everything).

I'm still going to try and do a little each day--I want the garage to be done so badly! I did take the time to cut and dye my hair today, finally. That's a whole story in itself, which I'll try to share tomorrow.

Anyway, I really just want to go to bed right now, so I'll (again) share a few pictures of the kittens. I really will try to write a real post tomorrow.

I love this picture of Duck. He was fascinated while looking at Joey in the kitchen. His fur is SO soft and silky:

For size comparison: Estelle on the right versus the kittens. I never realized how big Estelle is until we got the kittens!

Duck on the left and Chick on the right:

Duck loves to be as close to your head/face as possible:

And Chick loves to balance on the top of this toy. I have no idea why, but he does it ALL. THE. TIME.

If Chick didn't have long hair, I'd never be able to tell them apart! Look at their ears--even those are bent the same way in this pic!

I don't have favorites, but if I did... (it'd be Duck!)

I was hoping this was the start of a civil relationship, but soon afterward, Estelle hissed and ran off. (I was cleaning the bedding, which is why there are no sheets on the bed.)

Pure trouble, these two ;)

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Mental Health Struggles

After several months of having a very stable mood, I've gotten really emotional lately--up and down much more frequently. Usually, a hypomanic state can last for months for me; the same with depression. Lately, however, my mood has been shifting so much--sometimes within a single day.

Sometimes I think I'm hypomanic, feeling fantastic, only to feel legitimately depressed just a day later. I was supposed to see my psychiatrist last month, but with the quarantine, he wasn't seeing patients. So, I have an appointment in a couple of weeks, and I can talk to him about it then.

Even with bipolar medications, it's typical for people with bipolar to have periods of hypomania and depression--just not as severe or as frequent. And that's been accurate for me ever since I was diagnosed and started the meds in 2017.

I haven't been feeling the major extremes of either emotion, but I'm definitely noticing the abnormal ups and downs. Not knowing what kind of mood I'm going to be in, and switching from laughing to crying within a single conversation, is pretty exhausting.

Also, I had my anxiety under control for a long time (still feeling it--it'll never go away completely-- but nothing like I used to). However, the last week or so it has gotten bad again. Today was the worst. My chest felt tight, and I had a horrible lump in my throat (that always happens when I have anxiety). I felt very restless but unproductive at the same time.

I even took some of my anxiety meds that I hate taking because they make me gain weight. (I'm instructed to take them as needed, not as part of a daily regime.) But the anxiety was so bad that I didn't care. (Why does it seem like all mood disorder medications cause weight gain?!)

I'm hoping it's just been a rough patch that will go away soon. Now that the quarantine is slowly being lifted, I have to once again change my daily routine, and I think that might be what is causing the issues with my mood.

On a positive note, I finished hanging the drywall in the garage yesterday! It was such a relief to finally get that done. The whole garage is now insulated and drywalled (including the ceiling). It doesn't look good right now, because I still have to tape and mud all the seams, but I'll take some pictures anyway.

It's amazing how much of a difference the insulation and drywall makes in the overall temperature in the garage. It doesn't feel hot and stuffy in there anymore. I am super excited to get the mudding done so that I can prime and then paint!

I'm planning to start taping and mudding tomorrow. It's super intimidating because there are a LOT of seams! I haven't mudded the seams of a ceiling before, so I hope I'm able to do a good job with it. I'm a pro at doing the seams where the wall meets the ceiling, because I did that around my entire house.

I'll end this post with a super cute photo I took of Joey, Chick, and Duck today. Joey's such a good dog! ;)

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RECIPE: Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

My friend Renee gave me this recipe (I usually call them "Renee's Oatmeal Breakfast Bars"), and they are SO GOOD. They have a little of everything--sweet, salty, chewy, soft. And who doesn't love a little chocolate for breakfast? ;) They can definitely be eaten as a dessert or snack, too.

Oats, nuts, raisins, and chocolate are a perfect combination!

Here is a printer-friendly version!

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plain yogurt (I've substituted sour cream before, and it worked well)
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp. honey
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins or other dried fruit
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, not included in nutrition info)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large mixing bowl, beat coconut oil, yogurt, honey, and sugar until creamy. Add applesauce, eggs, and vanilla and beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, flax seed, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture, stirring to combine. Fold in walnuts, raisins, and chocolate chips.

Prepare a 9x13 pan with cooking spray or oil. Spread batter in pan and bake 20-25 minutes until lightly browned (I like to under-bake them just a touch, so they stay a little gooey). Let them cool completely and then cut into bars. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

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The (TMI) Nightmare of a Socially Distanced Baseball Game

This post contains TMI ("too much information") so if you are grossed out easily (by period talk), just skip it!

Michigan is still under stage-whatever of lockdown for COVID-19. Eli's baseball coach set up some tournaments in Ohio, which is much less restricted than Michigan. We still have to practice social distancing at the game (which makes no sense--when you're around a lot of people, you can't help but be near them).

The number of guests per team was limited to 40, so roughly 3-4 per player. I was going by myself on Friday with Eli, though. Jerry was working, and we had to leave home at 6:30 AM to be there on time, so I just let Noah stay home and sleep in.

First, I had no idea it was going to be so HOT outside. Miserably hot. We got there at 7:15 AM, and the humidity was already making us sweat by the time we got to the field. I sat under the shade of a tree and called my friend Emily to chat while I waited for Eli's game to start (the game started at 8:30, but his team was there early to practice).

When I walked into the park, I was asked to show a wristband, which I didn't have. Luckily, Eli's coach was right behind me and I was able to get a wristband to enter. As I was walking, a woman next to me said that I must have a boy on her team. I said yes, that Eli had just joined the team in January, so I didn't really know anyone.

She kindly offered to help me carry stuff (I had two heavy lawn chairs, my backpack, my purse, and my phone--while Emily was waiting on the phone). When my phone dropped on the gravel, she insisted on helping me carry stuff, so I hung up with Emily and talked with her while we walked.

She was carrying a Ziploc bag of toilet paper and said that per the email from the tournament director, the bathrooms would not have toilet paper (due to COVID?!). Also, the boys had to have lawn chairs because they wouldn't be allowed to sit in the dugouts (the dugouts are basically just a bench inside of a fence). I'd brought a chair for Eli, but didn't know about the toilet paper.

Here is what a "socially distanced" dugout looks like. Hahaha! Same as a regular dugout, just with more comfortable seating.

By this time, it was nearly 90 degrees and ridiculously humid. I gave up on trying to mask my sweat. I didn't even care what I looked like at that point.

I set up Eli's chair near the dugout, and then set mine up near the first base side (nobody was allowed to sit on the bleachers, either--everyone had to bring a chair). I knew it was going to be a long day--Eli had games at 8:30 and again at 11:00. (To spoil the ending, Eli didn't even play at all for the first game, and only played two innings of the second game. I sobbed when we got home. Again.)

Anyway, to get to the TMI stuff...

What a great morning to start my period, right?? Usually, the first day is pretty light, so I didn't worry much about it. Just into the second game, however, I stood up to take pictures (I brought Noah's camera and was taking pictures of all the players to post for the parents on Facebook later) I noticed that my chair had a spot of blood on it.

I still had a full game to go until we went home, so I had to go the bathroom. Thankfully, I had tampons and panty liners in my purse (this was lucky--sometimes I have them, but most of the time I don't). When I went into the bathroom, there were three stalls. The person in the first one seemed to be taking an awfully long time. The second one had a door that didn't lock, so it kept swinging open. And the third had a sign that said, "Do Not Use".

When it was my turn in line, I got the stall that wouldn't lock. Lucky me!

I hung up my purse and backpack, and dug around in my purse for what I could find to help with my situation. (All the while, trying to elbow the door shut.) Since the stalls didn't have toilet paper, I had to remove my current tampon and wrap it IN A RECEIPT FROM KROGER that I found in my purse. And the stalls didn't have trash bins (because COVID...?!) so I had to tuck it inside my purse until I could find a garbage.

Thankfully, I have a lot of receipts in my purse--they came in handy in my "messed" up situation.

When I left the stall, I threw away the stuff from my purse. Then I tried the first two water spouts to wash my hands--neither of them worked. The third one was a charm, so I was able to wash my hands. I'm surprised they even had soap!

Of course, there were no paper towels, so I had to shake my hands dry once I was outside.

So, to tell you way too much information, I'd bled through my tampon, panty liner, underwear, and pants.

And you know what? I didn't even give a shit! I was miserably hot and sweaty, super sad for Eli that he wasn't able to play the first game, and just irritated beyond measure at the whole situation.

To top off the final play of the final game, Eli was the last batter. One pitch went by (a ball that went past the catcher) and the runner on third base stole home. That run made an official "mercy" (we were up by 10 runs), so Eli didn't get to finish his at-bat.

I did get a few pictures of him though from his first (and only, really) at-bat. He ended up walking, and then stealing second and third, and running home with an RBI:

The game was over and after his team briefing, we headed home. Needless to say, it was a rough game! And when I got home, I was super upset about Eli not being able to play (I'll have to write about this in another post because I get emotional about it) so I just had a really bad afternoon/evening.

Today, I made some serious progress on hanging the drywall in the garage, then took an afternoon to chill. Jerry is off work tomorrow, and I'm so glad. I have been really emotional lately, and I just feel lonely with him working so much!

I think we're going to play mini-golf, hit balls at the batting cages, and ride go-carts with the boys. It should be a fun day! (I'm just hoping it won't be as hot as it was on Friday)

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Little Duck Tested the Waters Today

(That's a terrible picture, but I think it's funny how Chick likes to stand on top of that toy--he does it ALL the time--and then he dangles the little feathery thing for Duck underneath him.)

I feel like I've had NOTHING to write about lately, and it's frustrating starting at a blank screen for so long. So, I figured I'd just tell you a short funny story about Duck today. (If you're new here, we adopted two kittens--Chick and Duck--about a month ago.)

Duck is extremely nosy and likes to get into things--he loves to know what's happening all the time.

I don't know if this is a "thing" with other people's cats, but my cats (even Estelle and Phoebe) always follow me into the bathroom. They walk around my legs and want me to pet them while I'm on the toilet! Apparently, Duck is the same way.

I went pee this morning, and right when I stood up, before I even had a chance to flush the toilet, Duck decided he wanted to jump onto the toilet seat to see what was going on. Well, he literally just jumped right into the toilet bowl!

As quickly as he fell in, he sprang out of there and ran into my bedroom. I was in a panic, trying to pull up my pants and grab a towel to go catch him and clean him up before he got pee-water all over everything!

Thankfully, he didn't go far--just a few feet into my bedroom. But he'd slipped and slid across the bathroom floor, so the floor was very wet. And so was he, of course.

He was NOT happy about it, but I had to get him cleaned up, so I used a washcloth and towel to get him clean. Then he spent the next 30 minutes grooming himself, while I cleaned the bathroom floor.

What fun at 6:00 in the morning!

But anyway, the kitties are doing great--they are getting so big already. I was looking at some pictures from when we first got them and they were tiny. I'll have to do a comparison soon.

Okay, I've got to get ready for bed if I'm going to be in bed by midnight! (My bedtime for the next couple of days).

Here is a cute video of the kittens... I was cleaning out my cross country stuff and decided to see what they would do if I set a cone on the bed. They had a blast with it! Duck loved to dive into the center of it and Chick kept trying to get at him from the outside. Super cute.

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Runs for Cookies Annual Summer Run/Walk Challenge for 2020!

Can you believe how fast summer is approaching?!

The summer solstice (official beginning of summer) is Saturday, June 20th at 5:43 PM (ET). If you've been following my blog for a while, then you know I post an annual challenge for the summer--from the summer solstice to the fall equinox.

I've created a checklist of runs (or walks) to try to complete each summer. I have to say, it's definitely a challenge--I've never done it myself! Hahaha. Each year, I make the goal to complete the list, but I haven't done it yet.

In 2020, I'm still making that goal--I WILL complete the checklist!

This year, I'd like to implement a point system--you earn one point for each of the items on the list, and an extra point if you post a picture of the run/walk to the Facebook group (some sort of "proof"), and whoever has the most points at the end will win a prize of some sort (to be determined... I'll probably buy a few Amazon gift cards). The winner(s) will have to provide proof of each run/walk by posting a photo on the Runs for Cookies Summer Challenge Facebook page.

If you're new to this annual challenge, it's basically a checklist of runs or walks (you choose) to complete between the summer solstice and the fall equinox in September. This year, there are 56 items on the list. Some of them need to be completed on certain days and others can be done anytime.

Here are printer-friendly versions of the checklists (they are basically the same list, except one is for running and one is for walking):

Runs for Cookies Summer Running Checklist 2020

Runs for Cookies Summer Walking Checklist 2020

This year, because of the points system, the runs/walks may NOT be combined (for example: running over a bridge in the evening with your dog and even splits cannot be counted as four runs... you just have to choose one of those).

Things may change a little between now and when it actually starts, but I wanted to get this checklist up now. I am working on a calendar format of the checklist as well, so it's easier to see the runs/walks that are on specific days. I will also post the "official" rules as it gets closer.

I will update the Facebook group as the start of the challenge gets nearer. You'll have to answer a question to request to join, and I'll accept you as soon as possible. The group is private, meaning only the people in the group can see what you post.

And if you do post about the challenge on social media, PLEASE use the hashtag #CookiesSummerChallenge and/or tag me @runsforcookies. I love to follow along with the posts! (Please note that if your account is private, I may not see it; I try to comment on all of the ones that I'm able to.)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/runsforcookies
Instagram: www.instagram.com/runsforcookies
Twitter: www.twitter.com/runsforcookies

I'm excited to see how many people we get this year! It was super fun to see all the photos last year.

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