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This post may be a bit scattered.  But we’ve been up to so much!  I feel like time is positively flying by.  Do you feel like that, too?  I would like each day to have a few extra hours, please.

 

Up first:  So excited to tell my local Charlotte readers about Queen City Blogs!

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Thanks to 22 Media for help with the logo.

 

My brother-in-law Nick and I are really excited to announce the launch of Queen City Blogs.  A few months ago, I said to Nick, “It would be so nice if the Charlotte blog community was more organized. There are a few smaller groups but no one big community that brings together everyone, both online and in real life.”  The gears in Nick’s head began to turn, and we’ve been working on QCB ever since.  I should say that he has mostly been working on it – I’m just the spokesblogger. Winking smile

 

If you’re in the Charlotte area, we’d love you to join QCB.  We are a completely free members-only Facebook group, and once everyone begins to get to know each other online, we’ll be doing meet-ups, too.

 

So if you’ve been looking to meet some new friends, sign up!  And if you sign up in the next three weeks, you’ll be enter to win a HUGE prize pack that includes a $100 gift card to The Cowfish,a $50 gift card to Mellow Mushroom, and a $50 gift card to 10 Park Lanes bowling alley, and One Month Unlimited Yoga at Be Yoga and a $100 gift card to Sobleski (a high-end furniture store and gift shop in Banner Elk).

 

And now… let’s talk fitness.

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Oh boy, oh boy.  I’ve got a triathlon this weekend, and I’m so excited.  Plus – this is the start of many summer months loaded with triathlons, 5Ks, and other fun events.  I’ve been great with training overall, but the last two weeks have been… ho-hum.   I’ve been traveling a lot for Operation Beautiful, and then Henry got sick and decided that sleeping wasn’t cool anymore.  And then I got sick, too (of course)!  Everyone is better now (and sleeping again), so I think I’ll be all good for the race.  Fingers crossed!

 

Speaking of getting back to normal – my eating has been all over the place, too.  You know, dinner used to be my healthiest meal of the day.  Maybe other mommas can relate to this, but I’m so tired by the time my dinner rolls around that I just want to eat a peanut butter sandwich.  Or a bowl of cereal.  But certainly not anything that slightly resembles a vegetable.  So my new thing is that I’m trying to eat a salad every single day.

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I’m eating my salad at dinner time since it’s currently my least stellar meal of the day.  The table outside definitely encourages real dining.  The weather has been so nice out, and we eat more and more meals on the deck.  Every night, Kristien paints a few more sections of the fence, and Henry and I watch as we munch and play.

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Whew.  This really is becoming a random post, isn’t it?  But wait!  It gets randomer. Smile 

 

Between the running, fence-painting, and nose-blowing, I ran a workshop at a Girl Scouts retreat.  I spoke to 115 girls overall, who ranged in age from 5 – 15.  We broke into smaller groups by age, and we talked a little about Operation Beautiful (they all had copies of the girls’ book!), and then we did a positive self-image activity that I originally heard about through GOTR.   The girls outlined each other on large painter’s paper, and then they wrote positive messages about themselves across their bodies.  They also wrote down things that make them happy or things they are grateful for.  The results were so awesome that I have to share a few!

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Lovely, huh?

 

And I also attended a workshop this week – it was a nice change to be in the audience!  I saw one of my favorite bloggers, Lenore Shenazy of Free Range Kids, speak to a group of about 200 people.

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You may remember back in 2008 when Lenore let her 9 year old son ride the subway in New York City… all by himself.  Her column about her choice to not only trust her son, but also to trust the rest of the world, created quite a stir.  She ended up on the Today Show, Dr. Phil, NPR… and then she wrote a book and started a blog to encourage an end to helicopter parenting and more common sense.  Lenore is all about “fighting the belief that our children are in constant danger from creeps, kidnapping, germs, grades, flashers, frustration, failure, baby snatchers, bugs, bullies, men, sleepovers and/or the perils of a non-organic grape.”  Hah.  As you can imagine, she’s pretty funny!

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Definitely check out her blog!  Even if you don’t agree with everyone she thinks, her posts are extremely thought-provoking.

 

Okay!  That’s all.  Can’t wait to see what the next week holds…  For one, it holds my 29th Birthday!

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And lots and lots of salads.

 

The winner of the cheese giveaway is Brooke, who loves to munch on almonds and string cheese.

{ 38 comments }

 

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed April 22, 2013, 9:48 am

    Busy as always! Glad you’re feeling better. I neeeed to get more salads in my life, especially now that it’s getting warm and my farmer’s market opens next weekend!

    Good luck on your race 😀

  • Jane @ Not Plain So Jane April 22, 2013, 9:50 am

    I feel the same way about dinner sometimes ( & I do not have a baby!). I like to make random dinner sampler plates: cut up cucumbers, carrots, hummus, piece of cheese, pita, orange, etc. I just kind of get something from every food group and try to make it balanced!

  • Sarah @ Yogi in Action April 22, 2013, 9:50 am

    I love random posts! That way there’s way more information provided.

    I love the operation beautiful positive body outlines! Have you ever thought about doing them for adults? While full grown women (and men) might initially resist it, I think it could be really positive for all ages to participate in an exercise.

  • Amanda K. April 22, 2013, 9:53 am

    totally relate on feeling too tired to eat anything…and i definitely feel too tired to cook/clean. how do moms of more kids do it???
    my husband often has to work late 1-2 nights a week, which i hate. but the one silver lining is that i can eat cereal for dinner 🙂

  • Katie @ Peace Love and Oats April 22, 2013, 10:29 am

    That Girl Scout retreat looks amazing, I’m sure it felt great to be a part of it! And my dinners can be pretty abysmal as well, especially if I get home late…

  • Ashley April 22, 2013, 10:40 am

    Subpar Mom dinners are definitely relateable around here too – luckily I’m temporarily living at my parents so I don’t have to worry about making dinner all the time!
    I’m so impressed with the impact that Operational Beautiful(and yourself) has made all over the US (and internationally!). You should be SO proud of yourself, Caitlin!

  • Catherine @ A Two Storey Home April 22, 2013, 10:46 am

    Having a salad every day is a great idea! Lately, for me, it’s been too HOT too cook anything at the end of the day… all I want is a bowl of cereal! My go-to, ridiculously lazy, not at all healthy meal meal is noodles with butter. I’ve been trying to make it at least a little better by using brown rice noodles and having a salad first 🙂

  • jamie April 22, 2013, 10:52 am

    Isn’t that outline/positive words exercise from GOTR? If so, shouldn’t you cite that? I could be wrong, but it looks familiar from coaching last year 🙂

    • Caitlin April 22, 2013, 11:10 am

      Yes I did originally hear about it at GOTR! Let me go back and add that – you are totes right 🙂 do you GOTR?

  • Tara April 22, 2013, 10:56 am

    That is so awesome how your Girl Scouts are seeing the positives of themselves mentally and not just physically! Everyone can be beautiful, so I love how she says she is awesome, artistic, funny, etc.

  • Tiff @ Love Sweat & Beers April 22, 2013, 10:57 am

    Great ideas! I love the Girls on the Run project, and I like the Charlotte blogger idea too. All you had to say was “Cowfish.” I’m off to check out your link now! 🙂

  • Debra April 22, 2013, 11:04 am

    I learned from some web blogger (can’t remember who-sorry) to eat more salads for breakfast. It sounded gross at first, but now I have one almost every morning, with hardboiled eggs and nuts, dried or fresh fruit, and more on it. Give it a try. Once you get past the “but it’s morning…” argument, it turns out to be a great way to get the good stuff in!

  • Robyne April 22, 2013, 11:18 am

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    Next week is my birthday too. I will be 49! One more year then I will move up in my running age group!

    • Caitlin April 22, 2013, 11:32 am

      Happy birthday 🙂

  • Jacquelyn @justjacq April 22, 2013, 11:19 am

    Random posts are always my favorite. I love streams of thought. My 27th birthday is coming up on the 28th! When is yours?

    • Caitlin April 22, 2013, 11:21 am

      The 26. Happy birthday!

  • Elizabeth @ Positive Change April 22, 2013, 12:31 pm

    Random posts are the best! You have so many hats!! I think I am going to join you in the salad a day! I typically pack a salad for lunch if I work, but if I don’t then I eat a snack plate! I need to eat salad however!

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs April 22, 2013, 12:37 pm

    I’m with you on the salads — I try to eat one everyday too, and I just had one for lunch! Whew, check today’s off the list! 🙂

  • Carolina John April 22, 2013, 1:09 pm

    Good luck in the triathlon this weekend! My first one of the year was saturday, and I got quite a shock.

  • Erin @ The Grass Skirt April 22, 2013, 1:27 pm

    Signed up for QCB! It was so good to see you and Henry today. 🙂

  • Katherine April 22, 2013, 1:43 pm

    Have you announced the winners of the bike and lululemon giftcard?

  • sara @ fitcupcaker April 22, 2013, 1:51 pm

    I eat a ton of salads, prob once a day so this would be no prob for me! Thats awesome how the girls drew themselves and put their characteristics inside! So neat.

  • Tabitha April 22, 2013, 3:22 pm

    Are you going to give us an update on the things you accomplished from your ’29 things before 29′?

    Happy early Birthday!

    • Caitlin April 22, 2013, 7:33 pm

      Maybe! I did a lot of them but not all. No Ethiopian food. 🙁

  • Kylie @ immaeatthat April 22, 2013, 5:58 pm

    ooohhhh I want to make those chickpeas and cover a salad in them! Look amazing!!:):)

  • Tammy Root April 22, 2013, 6:43 pm

    Best part of this post? Baby feet!!!!!!! Love the first pic of Henry’s feet. 🙂

  • Emma @ a mom runs this town April 22, 2013, 7:38 pm

    good luck on your tri! Henry is cutest, as always!

  • Stephanie @ Steph's Miles April 22, 2013, 8:17 pm

    Great idea! I wish I lived in Charlotte so that I could participate in the group – I LOVE Charlotte! And I LOVE Mellow Mushroom! 🙂

  • Amber K April 22, 2013, 8:28 pm

    Ooh happy early birthday. I’m not dreading mine, but I’m not exactly looking forward to turning 30 next month either!

  • BroccoliHut April 22, 2013, 9:11 pm

    I try to eat a salad for lunch every day in an effort to make sure I get my veggies in. Definitely a good “insurance policy!”

  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More April 22, 2013, 9:34 pm

    I’m not a momma but come dinner, i’m too tired (or lazy) to make much of a dinner. That means I usually make a giant garbage bowl salad with whatever is left in the fridge. 😉

  • Whole Foodie April 22, 2013, 11:20 pm

    Random posts are usually the most enjoyable, and this was no exception. Enjoy the triathlon and happy birthday for next week!

  • Joey April 23, 2013, 12:07 pm

    Can’t believe how big Henry has gotten! It is so cute to see him standing all by himself in the yard!

  • Jelena@ FabLifePhd April 23, 2013, 1:37 pm

    I had a quick look into Lenore Shenazy’s blog and I must say that I do agree with a lot of her ideas. I grew up in a world in which I could walk to 20 minutes school alone, with a couple of other kids, at the age of 6. And it was not a super safe neighbourhood, it was 10 000 citizen town in war time in Yugoslavia (no shootings in our city in that time though). Our parents thought us the basic rules of trafic, not to talk to strangers, and to go straight home, and nothing bad ever happened.

  • Courtney April 23, 2013, 10:53 pm

    Good luck on your triathalon!! I’m running my first 10K in a few weeks and am really excited about it!

  • Melissa April 24, 2013, 7:50 am

    Been trying to sign up for QCB. Got my confirmation email (btw – there was no subject line and I thought it was spam), applied for FB group. About how long should it take to be approved? I wasn’t expecting a 36 hour wait – did I do something wrong?

    • Caitlin April 25, 2013, 12:45 pm

      Let me so funny!

  • Ron April 24, 2013, 1:23 pm

    Happy birthday for next week. Hope the triathlon goes well this weekend for you.

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