.Girls On The Run (is so much fun).

Remember when I was going to tell you about one of my favorite organizations, Girls On The Run, and how how much I believe in the organization? Well, you are in luck cause now is the time to share it with you!! EEEECCCCKKKKKKKK!!! Are you as excited to learn about it as I am to FINALLY tell you about it?

First off, Girls on the Run was founded by the amazing, Molly Baker, in North Carolina back in 1996. Now it is an international organization (what!?!) with the Twin Cities chapter starting in 2011 by Mary Urban and Kori Fitshchen (thank you ladies!!).  The mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. They envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams (umm...are you not already falling in love with organization?) Also, an important thing to note, is that this IS NOT a running club!! We don't train girls to run and compete, we encourage girls to keep moving forward be it running, walking, or skipping! It's about setting goals and working towards accomplishing them, in your own style and time!

The trained coaches work with the girls and teach a 20 lesson curricula that empowers the girls to have a greater sense of self-awareness, achievement, a foundation of team building and enhancing their communities, all in order to help them become strong, healthy, and confident women.  Some topics inclue how to handle peer pressure, dealing with body image and the media, feeling comfortable with our emotions, and community service project. As well as the curriculum that we teach each week throughout the 10 week program (we meet twice a week ) we have interactive activities such as running and playing games. This helps the girls apply what they have learned, reflect, and express their own unique selves (as well as gets them moving their bodies).

After the 10 weeks of running and learning the program all the girls, their running buddy, and the coaches run or walk a 5k!  This is sometimes the very first 5k a girl has done (as well as some running buddies) and they worked hard to cross that finish line! I remember my first 5k, I was 25 and I struggled throughout the course but crossing the finish line I  felt triumphant and proud! This is going to be what all the girls, their running buddies, and coaches will feel when they watch the girls cross the line at the 5k!

NOW YOU CAN BE APART OF THE EXPERIENCE TOO!!! For the first time the Twin Cities chapter is opening up the Girls on the Run 5k to the public,300 community members to be exact! So now you can join 100 girls, their running buddies, and coaches in this great conclusion to the season!! Below are all the race details:

• The race will be Saturday, November 16th at 9 a.m. 
• The run will start and end near the Nokomis Community Center at Lake Nokomis
• There will be a fun group warm up before the race and food and festivities after!
• Registrants will receive a race t-shirt
• This is a fun run and will not be chipped or timed
• REGISTER...here!
• More info on the race, click here

I have one free race entry to give away (aaaahhhhhh!!!!)! To enter, leave a comment below telling me either why you believe Girls on the Run is important OR what MAKES you unique and how you celebrate it! (I hope to have a lucky winner by next week! Make sure to leave a way I can contact you if you win!!!)

GOTR: website  facebook  twitter 

.life in iphone pics.

This is what I have been up to lately in life...according to my iphone..that is!

.corn art at Minnesota State Fair. 

.Hanson at Minnesota State Fair. 

.Zac Hanson (what a hunk) and I.

.my best friend got married.

.family movie night.

.morning walks.

.swing patrol.

.birthday girl.

.beautiful skyline.

.daddy's girl.

.sister time.

.stone arch bridge.

.fall is in the air.

.Maggie and Lily story time.

.Maggie and Lily at nap time.

.date night with Atlas Genius.

.mmmbop.

If you don't like boy bands,  then this is not the post for you. Because I am about to go all girl crazy about Hanson and you may even hear my 7th grade self scream over your  computer screen, so turning down the volume is recommended!  Now, let's talk about Hanson, shall we?  Back in 1996 (my 7th grade year) Hanson released their major debut record, Middle of Nowhere, which had their HUGE single, MMMBOP, on it.  I'm just going to say this now, but Middle of Nowhere is an AMAZING album.  I still listen to it as an adult and love every song AND I think they should re-record it as adults....it would be SOOOOO good!!

Since their first release, girls have been crooning over the boys and picking their favorite brother. Lots of girls were Taylor fans, some were Zac fans, and a few were Isaac fans. (let's just say though...Isaac is now a hottie!) Me, I was and still am a Zac girl!! I remember talking about Hanson with friends about how cute the boys were, what our futures would be like when we married one of them, and how we would love to go on tour with them...making all the other girls jealous of our love! 

I can't say I'm a crazy Hanson fan, like some, since I stopped listen to them for a few albums. I have been back on the bandwagon though since 2004, when they released Underneath. Every album they have released over the years is better and better. They continue growing with their sound, writing, and always meeting their fans expectations. I have seen them a few times before (or every time they are in the area) and always I am blown away.  This summer they played for FREE at the Minnesota State Fair...for FREE...yeah, FREE!!! 

I couldn't pass up seeing my boys for free two nights in a row...so naturally me and my other crazy friends headed to the state fair.  The best part of the nights was getting to be FRONT ROW for HANSON!!! AHHHHHHHHHH...yes the 7th grade girl went freaking crazy!!! I was singing at the top of my lungs, screaming like I was a teenager, and dancing my booty off! 

Seriously, I couldn't have been closer...since I had my water bottle on the stage! AAHHHHH!!!!  Can I tell you guys, those boys grew up to be beautiful men!! Men that are all married and with children..but let's not get lost in the details, shall we!?!? The sad part though of liking the drummer, is that you rarely ever get to see him (insert sad face). 

At the end of the first night I had touched a few of the Hanson brothers...and couldn't think it could get better than that! Then the second night, I touched ALL Hanson brothers hands and was satisfied with my outings!  BUTTTT...not my friend, if she had the chance to meet Taylor Hanson, she was going to take it. So like youngsters we waited outside their bus for the opportunity to see or meet them.  And can I say.....I would do it all over again!!! Cause not only now have I touched Hanson...I have now MET HANSON!

See...just look at how handsome they are! Okay, girls these are not the little boys that you remember from Middle of Nowhere, they are now men. Men who play great music, who are nerds about music, and who love their fans. My recommendation is you check out a few of their albums (my favorite is SHOUT IT OUT) and see for yourself.