I Cut My Hair Really Short.

This is the post some members of my family are going to hate, but since I've been thinking so much about it, might as well put it out there. I cut my hair...again...really short. It's not a man's cut, but it's almost bowl-cut boy short...and I kind of like it. I'm not sure that the cut is actually flattering for me, but it's easy and I am really appreciating that right now. No fuss is my kind of style.

I decided to cut my hair this short because I have always wanted to. (I have literally had this haircut on my Pinterest board since 2013?) My longer bob had grown out and my hair was driving me nuts (messy, hot on my neck, etc.). I had the hair cut appointment already, so why not "go big or go home?"

I decided on this short of a cut the week of my appointment, so I didn't have much time to think about it. I did have one last chance to keep my long hair when my hairstylist said, "I'm cutting right at your hairline. Is that okay?" 

I said, "Yes," that's what I want." And off the hair went.

In hindsight, getting this haircut now was probably not the best decision. I should have considered that I have my brother's wedding in a month, and a half and my family might not appreciate me having a strange new haircut. Oh well. I didn't consider that, and the hair is cut.

I wasn't immediately sure what I thought of the haircut. I mean, my hairstylist did a good job, but did I like it? How would it wash and wear? With only washing my hair every other day, I can get two good days of the stylist's blow out before I have to style my hair myself.

My hair was pretty wild and crazy when I got out of the first shower in which I washed it. But I did what I always do: combed it and round brushed the ends under. Wonder of wonders, the cut dried well. Praise the Lord!

I haven't gotten a clear read from my husband on what he thinks of my hair. Thankfully, he is not super picky. Adults at work have told me they think this cut makes me look elegant and sophisticated. (I mean, but what else do you say about someone's haircut? You either say that you like it, or don't say anything at all.) My very honest child clients have asked me why I would cut my hair. I take it they like it longer....

I had to wrestle a little with my self-esteem and my confidence getting this cut, and that's actually been good for me. Hair is hair and it will grow. Confidence is what matters. Sorry, family, if I look a little funny at the wedding. I'm still me, just a little different loking.

Will I keep this cut? I don't know. I was stuck between wanting long hair to pull back again, or really short hair. Both have their plusses and minuses. For now, the plusses of this cut are having my hair off my neck, an easy washing and styling routine (only a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner needed, and even faster drying), and no need to pull my hair back to run. (I either contain my hair under a hat, push it back with a headband, or just let it flop.) Minuses are that I cannot pull back my hair and might not look as good. But hey, who am I trying to impress anyway?

Reference:

Nickels, K. [@Kilee Nickels]. (2013). What I wore- Hazel and chocolate. Hazel sweater paired with chocolate leather. But lets get real, all we are really. Pinterest. Retrieved April 11, 2026 from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/648166571359326536/.

Pat's Run 7.0

I really was not sure how this one was going to go. Running a marathon February 14 put me way far behind on speed goals. (Last year, I had two 10K training cycles under by belt before this race. This year, I did Hal Higdon's (n.d.). intermediate post-marathon recovery plan and then jumped into the end of theSub-45 minute 10K plan from Run (2024) that I used last year. I didn't have a run that felt good until about two weeks before the race. I could not hit paces. Honestly, I felt pretty dejected, but I kept telling myself that this race was not only about performance. It was about remembering the legacy of Pat Tillman. It was also a chance to appreciate what my body could do. A family member's recent hip replacement surgery has really put that last point in perspective. I can run. that is always a privilege, and one for while I always want to praise the Lord.

Goals

Last year, I ran a huge personal best of 31:18. When I registered on January 7th of this year, I put in my estimated time of 32:00 (faster than my previous Pat's Run times, but with a little buffer). This year, there was a clause about seeding in the registration: "Please be aware that all finishing times for your registrants will be averaged to determine the most appropriate corral placement. No groups will be placed prior to Corral 7 unless the race history for all members clearly shows qualifying finishing times for an earlier corral." I didn't really think twice about that, until I got my bib number: 2375, higher than both of my two previous last years. Oh well. Que sera, sera.

In the interest of my year of less, I didn't set any goals this year. Honestly, I didn't even think about the 32:00 goal until I found this post that I had started drafting after registration in January. Yes, I wanted to do my best, but I really didn't know what that would be given my short training cycle. So I had no A, B, C. I just wanted to run my best and get on with the rest.

Well, okay. I did not have time goals per se, but I did have an achievement goal. I wanted to run home after the race. That would put me at about the total miles (or a little longer) that I wanted for the day. I also thought it could be fun.

Packet pick-up

As usual, packet pickup always takes a little longer than expected. I went a little earlier in the day this time, but still had to wait for a parking spot. Twice, people took the ones for which I was aiming, but I was not about to be in a huff about it. No point in that. 

I continued to feel pretty down on Friday. I did my thing and tried to get in the mood, but wasn't really. I did paint my nails, because it's tradition, and I like it. I tried to go to bed early, and did get in bed by 9 PM, but slept fitfully. (That has been an ongoing issue for about the last month, but was prominent the night before the race. It might have been nerves. It was probably nerves on top of whatever else I had going on.

Race day

As in previous years, I got up at 4 AM. I did my hygiene and PT, and climbed the stairs. I did what people tell runners not to do, and did something new for race day. I put my RNWY (n.d.). in decaf coffee and drank in on the way to the light rail. We caught the 5:10 AM train and made it to the Veterans Way/College Station by about 5:45 AM. I ate my banana while we walked to the expo site. For a change this year, they did not open the gates until 6:00 AM. (That is the scheduled time, but usually not enforced.) This year, as I pursue decluttering, I tried not to get too much stuff that was not consumable. (The two things I did get that were "clutter" were for my husband: a mister bottle and sunscreen.) One booth had coffee, and another had energy drinks. I had neither, since I had already introduced new things on race day. They did help caffeinate my kind husband who also got up early on this day.

Warm-up

Since I was in corral 3 this year, I opted to delay my warm-up miles until 6:25 AM. That was a mistake. By the time I finished my miles and changed my shoes (from my Brooks Ghost 16 (n.d.) to my Asics Magic Speed (n.d.), I only had ten minutes to use the bathroom (again!) and get into the corrals. That was too short! The national anthem was already being sung by the time I made it into my corral!

The second new thing I did for this race was to use new fuel: Honey Stinger (n.d.) caffeinated chews in cherry cola flavor. I had read the night before the race that caffeine helps most when taken 45 minutes to 1 hour before the event (Rosner, 2026). Coffee at 5:00 at the light rail, therefore, was not going to cut it. So I grabbed the chews (gifted to me in a run exchange last year) and ate 3 at 6:40 AM while warming up, and another 3 at 7 AM in the corral. I sipped about 8 oz of water during this time. I feared both drinking too much, and drinking too little. I gave my husband the water bottle and then had to motion him to get it back right before we took off.

The Run

My corral (Corral 3) did depart at about 7:11 AM, which is about the time stated in the Pat's Run Program. (This really is a well-run event!) The corral starter this year was Ron Riggle. I don't know him, but apparently he is pretty famous.

Once again, the first half mile or so was pretty crowded. When I looked down at my watch at about 0.47 miles, I saw somewhere in the 7:30s. "Right where I want to be," I thought. I figured anything I could run under 8:00 minutes a mile would be great!

Things spread out a bit after that. I passed a Tillman scholar runner. I tried to run at what felt like a good pace, but not so hard I would want to give up. I practiced lots of self talk. I prayed for my family, to honor God, etc. That first mile came in at 7:34/mile.

There is a hill somewhere between 2 and 4 miles. The course also narrows around this point. I tried to run on the sidewalk for a bit, but thought better of it, and jumped back on the road. I told myself to just get up the hill, because I could coast down the other side. Mile two came in at 7:26/mile, and mile 3 at 7:29. 

After this, there was one more "hill"/incline up to the bridge, and then it was pretty smooth running until the hill into the arena. At mile three, I tried to start picking people off, while also remembering that I needed to save energy for that last incline. Mile four was 7:24/mile.

I pushed up that final hill. I passed a few people. I did not feel good, but I knew I wanted to give it my best effort. I did, and when I came over the line, my watch said close to what I ran last year. I immediately tried to check my results, but as with the marathon, they had not posted. So I walked on through and went to the medal and food line.

Results

The medal and food line were inside the expo this year. I picked up water, Body Armor (n.d.), my medal, and my banana. My husband met me, and we took photos at the photo spot. I found my results at this time: 31:25, 8 seconds off my finish last year. At first, I was just a smidge bummed that I had not pushed to run 8 seconds faster. I was thrilled that I had run close to last year's time, though, as I did not think that was even possible! When I texted my mom, she reminded me that being further back in the corrals does slow me down. That did make me feel better. Maybe I just lost those 8 seconds in the corral scramble (or I can let myself think that).

Final Thoughts

I walked with my husband to the light rail stop, and then started my run home. Thankfully, my husband directed me how to go: through ASU campus, and then left for a straight shot home. Good thing he instructed me. My brain said to go right, and I would not have run through campus to connect to our home road had he not told me to do so.

The weather was quite lovely for my run home. There had been a few raindrops during the morning. (I blame this on washing the car on Friday.) Running home, there was some cloud cover and a breeze. That felt refreshing.

Running home was not the easiest, though. My legs felt tired. The 6.2 miles I had clocked to get home felt long, and short. I kept telling myself I was almost there, and I was, but it also took a while. I forgot all the stoplights at which I would need to stop. I thought I had another 6 chews left, but only found 4? I did take another bottle of water, and man did I finish that thing off! The last miles felt easier, but maybe that was just a mental thing. Feats seem easier when closer.

All in all, I really cannot complain. God gave me a great race, and I am so thankful! My husband sacrificed for this race. My dad and mom texted me their well wishes before I ran. (They also sent me a picture of my mom wearing the Pat's Run jersey I gave her from my first ever Pat's Run, the one I did with her as my support, when I first moved back to Arizona.) We had good weather. I got another cool race jersey. God is good. Running is good. Pat Tillman left a good legacy, and this is a good way to remember him!

References:

Body Armor. (n.d.). Body Armor zero sugar fruit punch. https://www.drinkbodyarmor.com/zero-sugar/fruit-punch

Brooks. (n.d.). Brooks Ghost 16. Brooks restart. https://restart.brooksrunning.com/products/womens-ghost-16_120407_020_2e?color=blackblackebony&width=Extra+Wide+%282E%29

Higdon, H. (n.d.). Post-marathon recovery: Intermediate. Hal Higdon. https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/post-marathon-recovery/intermediate-post-marathon/

Honey Stinger. (n.d). Cherry cola caffeinated energy chews box of 12. Honey Stinger. https://honeystinger.com/products/caffeinated-cherry-cola-energy-chews?srsltid=AfmBOoozxNveGplzLI59OrobXzBcCL7ATDKY1GIzBJqsIkTwigvT1y8p

RNWY. (n.d.). RNWY foundation. https://rnwy.life/products/foundation?srsltid=AfmBOoqU6wWmXDD7Gyzy-F1kRCyx8OdoJoBe896SQxm77xyjbYPI6pKM

Rosner, J. [@rosnerperformance]. (2026, April 10). First marathon and not sure how to use caffeine?
Swipe through for your ultimate caffeine guide. #marathontraining #running #bostonmarathon [Photograph]. Instagram. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/instagram-references

Run. (2024, December 28). Run your fastest 10K ever with these training plans. https://run.outsideonline.com/training/training-plans/5k-10k/training-plans-fastest-10k-ever/?scope=anon

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 14)

This Week's Eats:

Apple cider chicken sandwiches with apple coleslaw  (The Inspired Brunette)

Carrot cake muffins (Budget Bytes)

Pumpkin butter grilled cheese (Hyvee)

Shepherd's pie (Alton Brown/Food Network)

Noteworthy Repeats:

Big-batch Instant Pot white beans (Epicurious)

Chickpea "tuna" salad (Drugstore Divas)

Five-minute chicken gravy (Fixed on Fresh)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Freezer Pull-Outs:

Applesauce sourdough muffins (Venison for Dinner)

Easy hamburger soup (365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking)

One hour sourdough discard burger buns (Amy Bakes Bread)

Simple sourdough applesauce muffins with applesauce (Food Over Comfort)

Sourdough breakfast cookies (Kneaded That)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Frozen for Future Me:

Healthy banana muffin bread (Fit Foodie Finds)

Real Life Marriage: The Remodel

It all started with a leaky shower, a problem my husband thought he could fix (and probably could have had our house not been so old and that faucet probably been original). The attempt at fixing made the problem worse, and before long, each time we turned the faucet on and off, we feared the pipes might explode. We cordoned off the bathroom, and after Thanksgiving, my husband started to tear apart the bathroom, piece, by piece, by piece: the mirror, the vanity, the towel rack, the toilet, the walls, the floor, and lately, that blasted shower.

My husband anticipated a finish date of Christmas, and then New Year's, and then Valentine's Day. And then I said my birthday (in May). He kept running into snags, and he was attempting to do all the work after his "real work" (as in, his paying job). It would save us a lot of money this way, but did take all the more longer.

The floor required weeks of work just to level it. We needed to borrow our brother-in-law's truck to haul out the old debris. My husband needed to wait for a friend's help to load sheetrock (because I was working and also not strong enough to help). His uncle had to come help with some other things.

Our living room went from a comfortable sitting space, to a storage space, to an absolute disaster. My husband left his nightly routine of relaxing after work and going for evening runs to using most of his leisure time (and even taking time off work whenever he could) to toil away at the project. To help, I tried to do a little extra around the house and hold together my sanity. Mess is not my preference, and when my home is dirty and cluttered, it is hard for me to cope.

Date days turned into Home Depot runs. Evening conversations turned into budget meetings and design reviews. (My husband has an eye for design and space, so I really did little more than give my approval for his choices.) We were together on this project, but also not together.

When the end of the project seemed indefinite, and I had the post-marathon crazies (ahem crappies), I started decluttering. I am not sure if it is was my season of life or the utter mess, but it seemed like something I could do to control the situation.

In the end, the project miraculously finished faster than I expected. (Isn't at the end of things that the finish line feels so impossibly far away?) The bathroom is beautiful. The living room, laundry space, and our overall home are getting cleaner, and we are working on the clutter.

We survived the remodel, and though our interactions with each other did look different in this season, praise the Lord that our foundation held fast: "The Lord is [our] rock and [our] fortress and [our] deliverer, [our] God, [our] rock, in whom [we] take refuge, [our] shield, and the horn of [our] salvation, [our] stronghold" (English Standard Version, Psalm 18:2).

(Before and after photos by my husband)

Reference:

English Standard Version. (2019). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/#copy

I Attempted a Dopamine Detox (ish) (Lent 2026)

Life was racing along faster than I could keep up. I was literally running about 40 miles a week training for my marathon. I drank coffee more often than before. (I said it was to help my running, and it was, but I also indulged frequently to survive things like a two-day weekend work training.) I was scrolling incessantly, numbing out with movies and TV (often scrolling while doing so), eating tons of sugar, etc., etc. I needed/wanted a break. So I tried to cut it all/most of it out. I hoped it would be a "dopamine detox" of sorts, resetting my brain so that I could enjoy life again. 

The Fasts

My husband had been telling me for awhile that I could reduce stress by cooking the same meals. Apparently I didn't understand what he said, but nonetheless, I picked a menu and decided to make it...for eight weeks. I called it a "capsule" meal plan, and it kind of bugged me, but by the end, I had gotten used to it. I was used to constantly searching for new recipes (either in my cookbooks, or on blogs), and finding the ingredients for them. It was fun, and a hobby, but also a stressor. Initially, I stopped reading my favorite cooking blogs, but then I decided to keep doing so. I just told myself I couldn't look up recipes for things I wanted to make. Maybe that was a cop-out, but that's what I did.

At first, the monotony of our menus bothered me. I was used to frequent variety and I missed it. But I did find a few ways to change things up (eg different versions of the black beans and rice and sheet pan pancakes). I came to really like the sourdough discard oatmeal bake (and think I might actually continue to make it). I enjoyed the treat of salmon burgers on Fridays, and somehow managed to still like pizza after having it every weekend. Eventually food became food, less exciting, but sustaining, which is ultimately what it needs to be.

Eating the same things did decrease decision fatigue. [Read Kelsey Wharton's (2026) piece about that here.] While I am not sure if it saved us any money (probably, but I didn't track that), it did decrease the variety of what I needed to buy at the store. I "missed" sales, but we survived. (I normally also try to cook around what is on sale.) I learned the art of batch cooking (meaning our freezer was always full). While it is not something I usually like to do (because I crave variety), it did reduce work overall. Near the end of Lent, my husband told me that though I took this challenge a little beyond what he intended (is anyone surprised?), it worked. He suggested a greater variety of meals if we do this again in the future.

I quit chocolate and coffee and sugar. I fast from chocolate during most Lenten seasons, and while I occasionally craved it, it was not so bad. I actually missed coffee a lot more than I expected, though. I like having it before runs with my collagen. I also occasionally wanted it as a "little treat" while at work. I had to say, "No" every time if I wanted to keep my fast. I remembered once again that quitting sugar means not eating out. (Because sugar is a flavor enhancer, it is is everything). That was a bummer, but we are trying to save money, so it helped us in that way. 

I mostly kept of social media. (More on that here.) Occasionally, I found myself scrolling Facebook. I did scroll other things. I did not miss Instagram as much as I expected, but I did find myself wondering if I was missing out. I found my life smaller and quieter, but I also lacked social awareness and connection. [My husband was the one to tell me about the half-marathon debacle (Dotson, 2026).] Is there a balance to be found in being online versus off?

After reading John Mark Comer's (2019) book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, I dreamed of chill Saturday evenings sitting around eating pizza and reading. Due to our remodel project, our Saturdays were not all chill, but I did really enjoy the variety of activities in which my husband and I engaged: playing some of our old (and new to me!) games, taking evening walks around downtown, crocheting and knitting while listening to episodes of The Song Exploder (Hirway, 2014-Present). I think I would like to incorporate some slower Saturdays into our lives in the future.

The Effects

At some point during Lent, my husband asked me why I had to give up so much stuff. (I was complaining about the lack of variety in my life.) I told him that I had not intended to, but these were the things that came to me. Yes, I can go too hard on things (okay, most things), but as I was reminded at the Ash Wednesday service, Lent is about finding true satisfaction in the Lord. When I was wanting things on my fasting list, I tried to pray to find satisfaction in God and remind myself that He is always my sustainer. 

Living a "simpler" life did highlight the colors and delights of life more (rather than everything being in a technicolor wash of fast-paced living). Sometimes, I found that clearing things out helped me notice and name little things that bugged me and decide if I could do anything about them. Before, I think I had just been covering them up with layers and layers of dopamine seeking.

I suppose I should see cooking as hobby, a get-to versus a have-to. I have to feed us, but I don’t have to cook. I could blow all of our money on convenience or restaurant food. And I could make the same bare bones meals (which didn’t even happen during Lent), but I wouldn’t enjoy it. I need to try to keep a fresh perspective on cooking as a privilege.

As some side benefits of Lent, I had wondered if eating so much sugar via Pop-Tarts was making my face break out. Well, on zero processed sugar I was still having breakouts, some more painful than before. It could be a blood sugar issue (but I would think less so now eating more fat), but it’s not a sugar issue. Whole food eating also did not seem to impact my hunger any differently than processed food eating (despite what people might say to the contrary). I don't plan to go whole-hog back to eating as many Pop-Tarts as I was during peak marathon training, but I needn't think they are the sole cause of other health complaints.

In things I did not expect, there was the missing coffee. There was also the volume of food we went through. With limited ingredients, we needed a lot of them! With cheese in almost every meal (which I figured could help make this fast easier on my cheese-loving husband), our total cheese totals consumed each week totaled a pound or two. I quickly ran through my freezer stash and had to send my husband out to buy more when the bags went on sale. (I think we spent close to $50 on cheese that day!). I also used oatmeal and rice and black beans at higher quantities. Thankfully availability was not an issue, but I did need to rethink my grocery lists. And I thought that this challenge would be easier. In some ways, it was, but in some ways, it just moved the cheese...literally!

After Thoughts

I didn't really detox from dopamine this Lent. Maybe I just had less/realized what a junkie I am. Am I glad I did these fasts? Yes? No? I don't know. I think fasting is a discipline, an exercise, not necessarily one I like, but one that teaches me things. Now is the time to cut the fast so as to avoid falling into asceticism. While I cannot keep such strict policies of abstinence year-round, perhaps this (relative) one can help me appreciate more and over-indulge less. We will see. Now I enter back into the fray and pray to remember what I have learned.

References:

Comer, J.M. (2019). The ruthless elimination of hurry: How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world. WaterBrook.

Dotson, K. (2026, March 4). What went wrong in the women’s competition at the chaotic USATF half marathon championship? CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/04/sport/usatf-half-marathon-chaos-what-went-wrong

Hirway, H. (Host). (2014-Present). The song exploder. [Audio podcast]. https://songexploder.net/

Wharton, K. (2026, January 15). Eating an everyday menu (most days). Rising Shining. https://risingshining.substack.com/p/eating-an-everyday-menu-most-days

Easter 2026

'Twas a quiet Easter round here. I tried to get out early to catch the sunrise.

I also caught a bird's bath in the fountain.

Breakfast was a bright and cheery carrot cake muffin with some clementine, cheese, and (unpictured) warm vanilla milk.

We don't do Easter baskets in our family, but we do Reese's (and now Mr. Beast Feastables, because the chocolate is SO much better).

We decided not to dress up fancy for church, but I asked for a picture anyway. (We at least had to document our new haircuts.)

Lunch was brunch for my husband (who fasts between communion Good Friday and communion on Easter), and hot chocolate and normal lunch for me.

And dinner was our traditional lamb shepherd's pie. My husband started making this years ago, and it seems a more appropriate meal for Easter than the traditional ham (but if you like ham, you do you). Green beans roasted with some cayenne, curry, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and seasoning salt made a good side. We served our meal on special china inherited from my nana.

We finished up with a strange game of Scrabble. (I mean, look at these words!)

And that's a wrap on this momentous, but very low-key celebrated holiday.

--

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen!

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 14)

This Week's Eats:

Finishing out our capsule meal plan this week with some seven-layer dip style back beans and rice. We ate these cold, and I thought they were very good!

Noteworthy Repeats:

Big-batch Instant Pot white beans (Epicurious)

Chickpea "tuna" salad (Drugstore Divas)

Five-minute chicken gravy (Fixed on Fresh)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Instant Pot black beans and rice (Cozy Peach Kitchen)

Seeded PB oat energy balls (The Dietitian Runner)

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Freezer Pull-Outs:

Lentil soup (Two Peas and Their Pod)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)