3TT: things J enjoys edition ...

RUNNING - About a month ago, I posted a link for the Amica Newport Half Marathon on J's Facebook page. With it, I wrote something to the effect of, "We will be in RI the same weekend as this race. We should run it."

At the time, J wasn't sold. Although he ran two half marathons last year (Marine Corps Historic Half and Richmond), I didn't know if I could convince him to join me. But then, yesterday morning, when I checked my email, I found THIS GROUPON for discounted race entries to the Amica Newport Half Marathon (5K and Marathon are included too).

Jackpot.

I told J about it, expecting resistance. But instead, he didn't fight at all. In fact, he said that the $37 dollar price tag for the Half Marathon was too good to pass up. (I actually think he said that it would be silly not to get it if it's that price.)

And with that, we were registered. J's 3rd half. My 12th. We may or may not run together. The course profile is favorable for a PR and although it's just three weeks before NYC, I might just have to go for it.

(Note: If you want to run the Amica Newport Half Marathon, the groupon HERE is still available through today.)

GADGETS - As of yesterday, J and I have been together for 9 years (just about a 1/3 of my life). On the 25th, we will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. Most years, OK, pretty much every year, we don't get each other gifts. We just try to go out to dinner together without the kids and that's that. Neither of us really NEED anything and I like to show him how much I love him EVERYDAY. He's my best friend and the love of my life and I don't need flashy gifts to know that.

With that said, this year we did something rather atypical for us. We got each other gifts. And we went big. J got me the new Droid Charge to replace my BlackBerry (it's basically a palm sized computer). This phone is INSANE and I'm completely obsessed with it (J is too).

And I got J an iPad. Um, yeah. I am pretty sure I can do no wrong for a VERY LONG TIME. On a similar note, I may have lost my husband to a piece of machinery FOREVER.

ME - J pretty much loves me more than anything (well, aside from our kids) and he wants to see me succeed in whatever I do. So, he thinks you should all head over to my NYC Marathon fundraising page HERE to make a donation. Then you can check out my HUGE raffle HERE to be entered for some sweet prizes. There will be 18 winners in all, with the first three announced next Friday.

And if that wasn't enough, a donation will earn you extra entries in my current giveaway HERE. You know you want to. Giving back makes you feel good. And a donation to Grassroot Soccer will help fight AIDS in Africa. Come on, all the cool kids are doing it ...