You’re telling me I should run up hills sometimes? And Brooke’s Santa Costume.

I think most treadmill companies would advise against keeping your treadmill outside.  I actually begged Billy to bring the treadmill inside for this one run because it was so cold outside.

Who has time these days to actually dust their belongings? 

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I had about an hour to work out Saturday morning before we had to be somewhere (once again we slept in… back to the good ol’ days last summer when we got up at 10 everyday) so I wanted to get in a killer workout.  I decided to dedicate Saturday to a climb as many hills as your body lets you until your legs are shaking from tiredness run.  I climbed over 1,000 feet and I really have no idea if that is a little or a lot or medium but for me I was dead by the end.   My incline ranged from 1%-7% throughout the run.  It hurt.  

It was quite an eventful day for Brooke because she had her very first friend birthday party.   He likes her. 

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The theme was the Hungry Caterpillar!

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I have never been to a birthday party with such delicious food.  I think the salad had every topping I could ever want. 

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I bet you wonder why cake shops make some areas of the decorated cake with 4 inches of frosting because who would possibly eat something that much frosting.  

Seven words=  They make it for people like me.

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We did some shopping at Nordstrom Rack and then let’s fast forward to my all time favorite picture of Brooke.

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She got all dressed up for her Christmas party.   The party had every type of Christmas food imaginable and pumpkin pie for dessert.  Delicious.   Brooke finally got to hang out with her best friend Brooklyn again.

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Sitting on Santa’s lap was extra special because they were matching.  

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And last of all, a picture of the girls and santa.

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How often do you incorporate hill work into your training?

Anyone race this weekend?  Anyone running a Christmas race?  How did your weekend long run go?

Frosting or cake?  Vanilla or chocolate cake?

-FROSTING!!! My sister doesn’t like frosting and it actually makes me physically angry.

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56 comments

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I cannot get over how adorable Brooke’s outfit it! I feel ya on the icing, you can keep the cake, all I want is the rich sugary creamy goodness!

Since moving, I miss running hills, can’t explain it but I love hills!

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Um that cake is amazing because icing is the BEST part!

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Icing is my favorite; cake just gets in the way! My friend makes a killer buttercream! I actually could have afforded the calorie after yesterday’s 20 mile marathon training run! Please tell me your treadmill secret…. I want to like it, but even when i set it at 5mph I can’t keep up….yet I can do 6.5 mph on the road! Help!

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Brooke makes an adorable Santa:-)

I only run hills if I am outside–running at an incline greater than 1% on the TM is torture. Awesome long run yesterday–despite the wind, rain/freezing rain and sopping wet shoes and clothes. And I managed not to slip on the icy patches.

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Brooke makes the cutest santa ever! And I love the theme for that part, the Hungry Caterpillar is such a fun idea!
I like cake and frosting, but in a 1:1 ratio because that’s what they mean when they tell you to eat a balanced diet right?

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What a cute birthday party idea! I really want cake now. I like frosting if I have cake to eat it with. I think I can handle a decent amount of frosting. Yesterday’s long run was 13.28 in the wind and the rain. I was sopping wet when I got home. Marathon training starts on Monday!

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That Santa outfit is too precious for words!! OMG! Love the picture with Santa.

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Frosting. I have a container in my refrigerator that I eat by the spoonful. Chris, like your sister a non frosting eater, is quite grossed out by it I think.

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I need add hills into my running.

FROSTING! I could eat just the frosting. And vanilla cake.

Brooke is too adorable.

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That is the most adorable picture and outfit of her

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That Santa costume is too cute!!! She is seriously the happiest baby…!

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So cute!

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We just love Brooke’s Santa costume! It’s so fun to see everyone smiling
and having so much fun! You make life fun!

Our favorite is vanilla! Laura loves frosting! :)

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It’s impossible to not run hills here unless you run along the river. Hills are all we have!

Your favorite picture of Brooke reminds me a lot of Elf on a Shelf… But cuter!

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I started using the “hills” workout at the gym this past summer, because I had to stay inside and also because I didn’t have a lot of time. (Day care at the gym was only for 1 hr at a time!). I’d just set a pace and then try to keep it for the whole run, no matter what the incline went to. Sometimes I could, sometimes I couldn’t– but I always felt completely wasted at the end.

I miss little baby outfits– my girls have opinions about their wardrobes now, so I don’t get to choose the cutesie stuff.

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Oh my god I am SUCH a frosting girl. So good!! Nordstrom Rack, birthday parties, cake with mile-high frosting… can I please just have your life? Brooke’s santa outfit is SO cute!!!!! I live in the middle of a massive hill, so no matter where I go, I have to go up the hill either at the beginning or the end of my workout. I usually pick the beginning.

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Oh my goodness gracious, that little santa outfit kills me! SO adorable! I’m another huge icing fan… My bites usually consist of 3/4 icing and 1/4 cake. The rest of the cake is usually given to my husband. ;)

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I like an equal 1:1 ratio of cake to frosting. ;) I love them both too much to choose! And I typically love vanilla cake more than chocolate. I love chocolate, but not so much when it comes to cake or ice cream.

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-1000 feet?! holy crap girl!
-I usually pass along my frosting, I’m all about the cake :)

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Eee! That seriously IS the cutest pic of Brooke. And I’m secretly kind of jealous because my parents never bothered to buy me a tiny Santa costume. Brooke is one lucky lady! Oh, and I’m definitely with you on the frosting bit… I can take or leave cake (usually I’ll take it… especially chocolate), but frosting? Gah! I go a little crazy for it…

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I usually do one day per week of either hill repeats or speed intervals…I greatly prefer hill repeats.

I did a Jingle Bell Run last weekend and it was lots of fun! Most people wore festive holiday gear. Today I’m doing a 10-mile race.

I like cake with a moderate amount of frosting.

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I did a race this weekend and PR’ed since I’ve never run a 6k before haha there were some hills on the course though and it def reminded me why hill work is important. I will def be adding more hill work starting now!

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There aren’t many hills in Houston unfortunately!

I ran a 5K yesterday and got my PR since having a baby… 19:26 I was excited haha! It just felt so good to race again :-)

I usually only eat the frosting and my husband eats the cake. I totally understand about your physical anger… If he eats too much of his own cakes frosting I get pretty rageful.

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Bahahahah you and your husband have the perfect set up wit your cake eating! Congrats on an incredible 5k time!!!!

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OK, Brooke is the cutest little thing in the world. Her expressions are just adorable!
I do not incorporate enough hills. You inspired me. I am going to try to incorporate hills in my run today..
There is nothing better then fluffy white vanilla cake with vanilla frosting made with real butter & vanilla ice cream. I love vanilla.

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Agreed! Best picture of Brooke to date.

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Adorable pic of Brooke!

And you are reading Blackberry Winter! I just finished it last week. What do you think of it so far?

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I love it so far! It makes me incredibly sad about the whole Daniel thing though! What did you think?!?

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Love the hungry caterpillar food markers and I love Brooke in her santa hat! so adorable.
Snowing here in Utah so no outdoor treadmills for us! I’m hoping santa brings me one to keep in the guest bedroom…pass that along via santa Brooke for me ok?

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WOW! 1000 ft elevation gain on a treadmill run?? Fantastic job! That’s seriously hard work!

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I rarely ever comment (BUT ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU AND YOUR BLOG) and read it every single day cause you’re awesome and I feel like you’re my friend in real life. But anywayssss….that picture of Brooke in her Santa outfit is THE cutest picture I have ever seen. I almost want to show it to people and just tell people she’s my baby. Just kidding :) But seriously. She is ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!

Oh-and I’m a frosting girl all the way. I thought cake was just an excuse to eat frosting.

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Valerie! Your comment made my day! Seriously thank you so so much!!! We should start a frosting fan club!

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“It actually makes me physically angry” <– why I love you and your blog. Hahaha you CRACK me up! I LOVE frosting, no need to get physical here LOL!

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Her santa oufit is soooooooo cute!!

I love frosting too..oh the thought of it right now! Chocolate cake usually, but vanilla is not a bad choice either :D

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I totally agree with you about the hills.. what are inclines? Never heard of them ;)

Umm, how adorable is Brooke? That costume is too cute. Her name isn’t bad either :) I might be biased.

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Love love love your favorite picture of Brooke! She is such a beautiful baby!

And as far as cake goes, I love the parts with tons of frosting. Not the kool-whipped type either, I want the thick buttercreamy type of frosting!!

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Frosting all the way! I always choose corner pieces with roses to maximize frosting per bite :-)

Question from one breastfeeding momma to another…after a hard workout like that do you ever have issues with your supply dropping? I have done nothing even half as strenuous as that run you did, but I notice if I have a hard swim or do a hard weights class, my supply dwindles. Wondering if its just me…

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Email me please because I have a novel to write you:)

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Cake > frosting … Vanilla > chocolate

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That picture of Brooke is unreal. She is too cute! She always looks so happy, what’s your secret!?

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That is the BEST picture ever of Brooke! She looks like she is LOVING her santa outfit. You and your friends are so cute and you always look like you’re having so much fun.

I think 1,000 ft of elevation is pretty significant. I should probably throw some hills into my training. some day…

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You seriously have the cutest baby in the world!!! That outfit is amazing.

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I love frosting so much that i cannot pick between choc or vanilla :) hills are a weekly thing, but i really have to watch something good on netlflix to get thru treadmill hills … Like watching the hills while doing hills. Omg i’m tired. :) brooke is so pretty!!

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I live in georgia, everytime i run is a hill workout. You would laugh if you saw my garmin connect workout summary at the end. I climb up to 1,043 in my neighborhood. I wish I had a TM. I have to drive to parks if I want anywhere flat.

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frosting >>>>>> cake. i usually just eat the frosting, and a bite or so of the cake and give the rest to my dog (vanilla only of course) so that i can have more caloric allowance for more frosting.

when we get a cake at a work event i like hover around the people i see just eating the cake part and i’m all ‘heyyy are you not eating the frosting?? because i will!’

something that makes me physically angry is when cakes have WHIPPED frosting. seriously WTF is that. Who invented that awful monstrosity of imitation disgustingness. gross. just gross.

p.s. my ‘healthy’ dessert is skinny cow ice cream sandwiches but i always add a spoonful of frosting as a topping. it’s the best :)

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Which NordicTrac treadmill do you have? I’m going to be biting the bullet and upgrading my ol girl (circa 1980’s) and am taking suggestions!!

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Do it:) I have the c900 and I absolutely love it!

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that picture of brooke!! Im dyinggg

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BROOK IS ADORABLE! Wishing you guys a wonderful Holiday Season!

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She looks so cute in her Santa outfit! Love it!

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Awwww too cute!! Looks like such a fun day!

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I literally laughed out loud when you said you get physically angry that your sister doesn’t like frosting. My husband had to ask what I was laughing at. You crack me up!

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That picture of Brooke is so freaking cute! Love it!

If I’m running outside, I’m always running hills. There’s no way to avoid them around here.

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So cute! Our nursery theme is Eric Carle!

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OMG I LOVE the picture of Brooke in her Santa costume!! By far the most adorable baby IN THE WORLD! :)

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FROSTING ALLLLLLL THE WAY!! You and your sister should have the perfect cake-eating relationship!! She can have the cake, and you can take her frosting! :D

Costco cake frosting is fantastic! ….and THICK!

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