Friday night vibes. 🥰
Back at the track for the first time after the last marathon and feeling great, especially with these beautiful, strong souls. I love speed workouts but that was not always the case. When I first started them 6 years ago, I’d drive to track with a bit of fear and dread. Maybe even a little anxiety. Sometimes I’d literally have an upset stomach! It was hard and I was NOT confident. Consistently showing up got me stronger and more confident. If I can do it, you can. If you want to, anyway. Lots of people tell me that they have minus zero interest in running, lol. It’s okay. There’s plenty of other options to get out and move with friends! You never know what you might end of loving. One step at a time is all you need to get started!
You will never look at dew the same again.
Insightful words from Autists (people with autism) when asked about dew...
Noah says : “It is the appreciation between God and nature, it’s the moment when they have met when others haven’t been around, it’s a peace offering to each other and it’s affirmation or agreement that today everything is perfect and we are here for each other.”
Brandon says: “It’s as though God kissed nature and nature gave back. It’s a reminder that the two are still together. The shared information and the purest of energy. It’s the time when they get to meet and honor each other and see each other and note each other for their beauty before it’s distorted by the gatherings of the day...
like star-crossed lovers in the night waiting for the sun set before anyone disrupts them like a hidden marriage.”
Daniel says “Dew is the energy that holds the most light between God and nature.”
Heard on an interview via Pam Gregory’s channel: “Doors to Consciousness with Autists with @vedaaustin_water Austin”

📷 by Holly Morello, Castleton, Virginia. September 2020.
A rare solo run on this Mother’s Day. Celebrating and thanking Mother Earth. Expressing my gratitude. This beautiful forest nurtures, heals, inspires wonder, awe and instills wisdom by her presence in all the magnificence she’s created for us…much like human mothers, including mine. Role models for my own mothering. I hope to live up to such love. I hope my sons know without a shadow of a doubt how much I love them.
My mother is across the country from me and I’m so grateful I still have her to talk to and see at least a few times a year. My sons were successfully launched from the nest some years ago and none of them live in Oregon. All 3 and my daughter in law are a flight away. Those years of having my sons home went by so fast. Those years were literally whirlwind. Every parent says the same thing. I miss them dearly but am so happy for them. I am enjoying witnessing their continuing growth as incredible humans through their various phases of life and I am enjoying my current phase of life too.
My husband was ready to do anything for me for Mother’s Day but I just wanted to chill at home. I slept in, had a lingering breakfast, sat in my sauna, did a face mask, ate some of the chocolate that Nick and Sarah sent me, did a a long Joe Dispenza meditation, talked to my mom and all of my sons, talked with a dear sweet neighbor who brought over a Mother’s Day flower and chocolate, went for this run, then came home to a nice grilled steak dinner all ready for me! My husband also went and filled up my gas tank, which was much appreciated! I loved my day and I hope you enjoyed yours too. ❤️🌷
I’m immensely grateful to be a mom of 3 amazing sons and a beautiful daughter in law. I’m also incredibly grateful and appreciative of my own sweet, loving mother.
I can’t forget my fur babies! I love being their mom too!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, including those to fur babies and to all those who care for and mentor others as a loving mother would.
Sending love to all end especially those who struggle on this day for various reasons.
❤️🙏🌸🌷
Here’s an example of one of the the really awesome things I get to do as a hospice care volunteer. There are many joyous and meaningful moments, and this was one of them.
We did this cool Legacy project for a beautiful, sweet 97-year-old patient and her family, organized by my dear friend and the Accentcare’s rock star volunteer coordinator, @terryloujordan.
These are fingerprint pendants we made with one of the patient’s daughters and a grandson. They are for the patient’s grandchildren. It was really fun for us, the family, and for the sweet patient.
We would love to have some additional volunteers on board. If you are in the Portland area and are curious, please reach out. There are various types of jobs/tasks including making calls and office work. It doesn’t have to be direct patient care.
Sweet Mr. C, the hospice patient who I volunteer to go visit weekly. I’m sure I love the visits as much as he does. He was a career pediatric nurse. He loved his job and especially the children in his care. What a beautiful human. He demonstrates that laughter is the best medicine here and the laughter reminds him of the kids he says.
Hospice care volunteering is exponentially more rewarding than sad. It’s really needed and even in these assisted living facilities with social programs. Humans benefit so much from 1:1 social engagement. I often see folks in these homes looking for someone to talk to. Maybe it could be you they talk to? One of my favorite humans, @terryloujordan, is the volunteer coordinator at AccentCare where I volunteer. Let me know if this sparks your interest. I can connect you! #hospicecare #hospicevolunteer
Thank you to my incredible group friends who got me to 26.2!
When I ran my 1st marathon two years ago I surprisingly qualified for Boston & I got a bit fixated on running it. But during the training for Boston last year, I got a stress fracture & had to withdraw from the race and was really disappointed.
However, when I started training this time around and I started to feel a little niggle in the opposite shin of the previous stress fracture, I started to reflect on my real why. Why do I wanna do this? Does my ego want this or do it really have a passion to run Boston?
I acknowledged that is was my ego. I realized my passion is the joy of running with friends, being outside in nature and having these amazing connections. The marathon is a great goal to work towards but honestly, it’s really just the celebration of all of it. I really don’t have a passion to break any records, make PR’s & as I look back, Boston was just a bonus.
I shifted my training to ensure I got to race day without an injury or niggle. And I did. Would have it been awesome to PR or at least still qualify for Boston? Of course. But was more awesome is this incredible group of women I am so grateful and blessed to have in my life. There were 3 runners in our running group for this race & 5 support crew!!!
These ladies biked, drove, & ran around giving us fuel while cheering outrageously for us. They also spent time and no small amount of money on food, lodging, transportation, and more to do this for us. What an awesome group of truly amazing women!
My #1 goal for this race was to enjoy it, just like last time. Also, to listen to my body and honor it. I did push myself of course but not to the extent of non- enjoyment or injury. Once I realized I wasn’t going to qualify for Boston, I made it a fun run.
But still, I finished a freaking marathon and without injury or hobbling afterwards, or a moment of regret during. I ran smiling in gratitude for my strong resilient body and my over the top beyond wonderful group of friends who filled my heart up so much in this entire experience.
Will I try for Boston again? Maybe! But I might wait for the next age group qualifing time, lol.
The power of this little patch is blowing my mind. The feedback I am getting from my clients and brand partners sharing as well is beyond any other wellness tool I’ve ever used since going down this rabbit hole back in 2010 and getting my NTA certification in 2013.
From sports performance to chronic pain and even improved symptoms from Parkinson’s - I’m blown away. Even sugar and carb cravings. Feet, knees, neck, shoulder pain - reports of all these significantly improved. Waking up before the alarm clock. Elevated mood. More motivation. The positive feedback has been SO encouraging and doesn’t stop.
Such a great investment in THE QUALITY of your health.
Of course I still embrace and promote a nourishing diet, good lifestyle habits, optimizing your microbiome, etc...but these phototherapy patches by far have been one of the best tools I’ve used to support doing and improving all those things!
Special shout out to @speedsportscoach who has been using them on himself and his athletes since 2006 and has been helping me patch to support my own athletic pursuits. I am amazed by my recovery after long technical trail runs this marathon training season.
I’d love to help you learn more about these!
Happy Siblings Day! Love you, Kelly, Patrick, & Christopher! ❤️😘
Enjoying all the glory of friendship and New York City on this gorgeous early spring day!
Pink faced and feeling so happy to be running with my dear friend, @margaretfloydbarry in her beautiful New England town just outside of Boston. What a gorgeous day too! My heart is full 🥰
Wet & Chilly at the track tonight, but we got it done! We encourage, support, and lift each other up. These badass ladies make running fun! They are my people and I love them!
Some people call it chronic cardio, we call it soul filling fun with multiple benefits! Nourishment for the body, mind, and soul! I love being with strong, upbeat, positive, badass women who run fast, run long, AND lift heavy 💪 too!!! Plus do a multitude of other amazing things for work and play!
Thanks for sharing these allergen/sensitivity friendly treats made by your friends @redplatefoods in Bend, Oregon, @laura.coleman27 ! And oh my goodness, @portlandcarol - you could totally open your own allergen friendly bakery- these gluten free ginger snaps were incredible! 😋
Snow day! ☃️❄️🐕🐶
✨7-Day Love Challenge ♥️
Happy Valentine’s Day! May you feel the love I’m sending each of you right now. ❤️
This gorgeous handmade card was lovingly created by my dear friend, @danielle.tomich. It was personally delivered with a beautiful gluten free cupcake that almost looked like the one on the card! As a cupcake lover here, I gobbled it up with delight before realizing I forgot to take a photo of it. It was scrumptious. Homemade is always the best, especially when love is one of the main ingredients.
✨7-Day Love Challenge ♥️
🎶🎤 “We are f-a-m-i-l-y!” 🎶🎤
I love my family so much! My husband, Tony; our sons, Nicholas, Jacob, and Zachary; our daughters-in-law, Sarah; our fur babies Rosie & Theo, and across the rainbow bridge, Casper who I don’t have a digital photo of, Starlight, Shadow, and Cooper; my parents and siblings, Kelly, Patrick, and Christopher; and my mother-in-law, Louise. So many wonderful times as well as chaos and challenging times too, yet love binds and prevails. ❤️
✨7-Day Love Challenge ♥️
This is in honor of my first patient as a volunteer in hospice care. His precious soul is no longer of this world but I will never forget him and he will always have a place in my heart. He taught me about being present, appreciation of the smallest things, patience, & so much more. Remembering him reminds me not to take anything or anyone for granted.
He was in memory care. His wife told me all about what an incredible life they had before he got sick. He was well loved.
His wife shared with me that he enjoyed KitKat bars. I asked her if I could bring a bar on my weekly visits. She agreed and remarked in jest, ”he remembers that there are 4 segments, so if you want some too, bring extra.”
As a fellow chocolate lover, I marveled at how much he appreciated every single bite of that bar. He looked at it, chewed it slowly, savoring every bit of it. He expressed its deliciousness with “mmmm”.
He sometimes spoke a word or two and on a rare occasion he’d speak an entire sentence. When looking at a large picture book of horses together, pointing to a little foal, he surprised me with “oh look at that little guy!” What a joy witnessing his enthusiasm.
I’d play his favorite music & toss a balloon with him. He’d sometimes drum the balloon to the music & would “dance” with his eyebrows. So magical.
At times, I’d take him on to the patio & blow bubbles. He marveled at them with wonder & delight..
Other times I brought out a tongue drum that he’d enjoy drumming with me. I savor those beautiful moments.
People often ask me how I can be a hospice volunteer. They ask, “isn’t it sad”? Of course it is sad but I choose to look at it differently. To me it’s incredibly fulfilling to just be with a person & see them as a magnificent being. To show respect for their dignity and to appreciate them. To show them that they matter. Also, a big part of a hospice volunteer’s work is to support the patient’s family and caregivers. My work can give them a much needed break. I get to come to the patient fresh, with no agenda. I get to just be with them, comfort them, & when it’s appropriate, entertain them. And most meaningfully, to share my love.
✨ 7-Day Love Challenge ❤️
I appreciate my strong resilient body so I can be active and do cool things with those I love. So many magical moments with so many precious people who I adore! Thank you for sharing special and often physically challenging (in a good way) times with me. I love you! 💕
@jennifermshaffer’s ✨7-Day Love Challenge ♥️
These two! Rosie & Theo! They bring boundless love into our everyday lives. They are so precious, so fun, so sweet and loving.
I’m so grateful that I get to be their fur mom. They bring me many magical moments and joy and appreciation. They force me to become present - and yes, I need that reminder.