Man, oh man.  I tell you guys we're moving to Canada and then I leave you hanging for 13 days. But I do have an excuse: (preparing to) move to Canada is a full-time job!

Before I continue, I should probably tell you that I am blogging from a little cafe in downtown Edmonton teeny-bopping my head to 'Call Me Maybe' and making mental choreography notes for a hip hop routine to this song.  It's quite the sight.  And I'm getting looks.

Or those looks could be from the fact that I look like I took a hook to my left eye.  That's right, I had my first experience with the Canadian version of a MedExpress thanks to a nasty eye infection that has my eye in a state of total puffiness and disgrace.  I was nervous being out of the country receiving medical treatment but luckily it went well and I am in the process of healing, i.e. looking normal again.

So, back to the reason for this post.  Luckily for us, this happened VERY quickly - in one day, in fact!  We'll credit Shaun's handy-work for that :) 

While I'm at it, I'm going to put in a plug for our real estate agent, Jeanne.  She is fantastic and we would highly recommend her to anyone looking to move to/from Pittsburgh, specifically in the South Hills/Mt. Lebanon area.

So with the house sold and a closing date of July 9, it was essential that we find a place to live in Edmonton.  For us, it was a toss up for renting vs. buying.  Home prices are very high here, especially for what we're used to.  For example, our house in Pittsburgh would easily sell for four times what we paid for it in the 'burgh.  So our ideal plan was to find a rental and book it.

Well, easier said than done.  First, many of the homes and condo buildings are old here.  From our experience, to find something new and fully-updated, you either need to resort to new construction way far out in the 'burbs or settle on a very small place sometimes in a less that ideal location.  And the majority of places (even purchased condos/homes) do not allow dogs.  For a city that has a river valley that is 22 times the size of Central Park, this just blows my mind.  Does everyone with a dog own a standalone home?

After lots of frustrating internet searches, we crossed our fingers and I hopped on a plane to Edmonton with a couple of rentals lined up to see and homes to look at if buying were to become our only option due to the pups.  As luck would have it, the first place we had booked to see (I had found it online immediately after posting and as I was the first to contact the renter we had first right of refusal) turned out to be a perfect fit.  Shaun saw it in the morning, picked me up at the airport, took me to see it, and we said WE'LL TAKE IT! 

Well, that's a bit of a stretch.  First, the current renters (whom we think are going to become good friends of ours here in Edmonton!) called the landlord to tell him they found the perfect couple.  (We were flattered!)  Then we scheduled time to meet up with the landlord so he could basically see that we were legit and the right kind of people for the place.  After he decided he liked us, the pups were approved (!!!!!!!!), and we are now wrapping up the lease and soon will be signed on our new place!  Mission accomplished!

The condo is a two-story layout in an historic building on THE street in Edmonton complete with an open floor plan, spiral staircase, two bedrooms each with ensuites, two large balconies, a fireplace and perhaps most importantly here, two heated underground very secure parking spaces.  And best of all, as I said above, the dogs have been approved.  Such a blessing and we are so happy.  Pictures to come!

I'm hopping on a plane back to the 'burgh tomorrow, so while I'm sad to leave Shaun for the next few days, I am beyond excited to see these two little goofballs.  Until then, stay tuned for more from Edmonton.  I'm off to soak up some 65 degree sun!

So I've been thinking long and hard about this post and have come to the realization that it's not going to write itself.  I've been thinking of ways to make this funny, and how best to break the news, but really...I've got nothing.  So here goes.

Let me back up and start with the basics.  We're making the move as a family of four and we'll be settling in Edmonton.  And let me go ahead and help you out because NO ONE knows where Edmonton is.

And next you're probably wondering: what on earth is taking us to Canada?  Well, my super smart and hardworking husband (hey, I'm allowed to brag every once in a while) was offered an amazing project management job that we couldn't pass up.

We'll be in Pittsburgh through mid-July and then we'll be trekking up north.  My hope is to find an awesome house (and great neighbors) so that we can do this.

For real.  I mean, how awesome is that? The dogs would LOVE IT (um, probably not) and in the summer it can become a pool.  I see nothing wrong with this at all.

There's a ton of other things that I want to tell you guys so apologies in advance for all of the upcoming Canada-themed posts.  As a parting gift, I'll leave you with something that caught my eye on Facebook yesterday.  So true, right?

Any advice for me with the move? 
Anything you you want to know about Edmonton or Canada in general?
Do you have experience moving to another country? 
You think we're crazy, huh? 
Tell, tell, tell in the comments below!

Yes, THAT happened for breakfast yesterday morning.  I give you Banana Split Pancakes loosely adapted from this recipe.  I've seen websites describe these as 'perfect for kids' - or perfect for 29-year-olds like me :)

Seriously, these were so easy and would rival any breakfast out.  Trader Joe's pancake mix with some mashed bananas added to it + warmed cocoa almond spread + fresh strawberries and bananas.  I can't think of a better sweet start to the day!

And then I was lucky enough to spend my Mother's Day with these hams.  I'm convinced life doesn't get any better.  We took a walk for a latte and then laid around in our media room all day long watching movies/hockey playoffs.  I can't tell you the last time I sat still for more than an hour & I loved it.  Maybe it was the rain!

It's also time to get back on the workout bandwagon this week.  With our fun and purposeful 10K coming up this weekend, it's time to focus on good nutrition, lots of stretching and quality sleep.  What's on your agenda for the week?

Normally I'd be super excited that it's the Friday heading into Pittsburgh Marathon weekend.  But sadly enough, I will not be racing this year.

I know, I know.  The irony.  Yesterday I posted about running the Rite Aid Cleveland 10K to raise money and awareness for VHL.  Earlier this week I posted about The Run Challenge.  So why in the world am I not running on Sunday?

Well, it's not by choice.  Certainly not by choice, because I am the first to admit that I am not always the smartest runner.  I don't train as well as I should, but I do fuel and hydrate like a pro ;)  Gee - wonder why?

Remember back in those glorious sick days when I mentioned that I had passed a test that would have flipped my life upside down?  Allow me to explain.

Not long ago, my dad was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.  For those of you that are not familiar, this is a disease affecting the heart muscle in which a portion is thickened for no apparent reason.  Most notably, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

Upon finding out that my dad has this disease - which is genetic - I was advised to get tested by undergoing a simple echocardiogram.  I did so back in February and was told that my results all came back clear. 

However, last week, my dad had the opportunity to meet with the Co-Director of the UPMC Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center (say that three times fast!) to discuss his situation and what it means for him and our family moving forward.  Long story short, the doctor would like to personally review my test results, and has also ordered some very specific blood work for my dad (which takes 6-8 weeks) that I may need to follow-up with as well to ensure that I absolutely, positively do not carry any genes/have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

After being strongly advised by this physician NOT to run this weekend (before he can review my test results and possibly order my bloodwork) combined with the fact that pneumonia totally kicked my ass and has left me in the dust (SUCH a humbling experience), I have decided it is not in my best interest to run on Sunday.

If there's one thing I've learned over the past few months, it's that without your health, you have nothing.  This is just one small race in the grand scheme of life.  There will be more half marathons.  There will be more full marathons.  There will be (hopefully) an Ironman.  But it's not worth risking my health for one race.

I am keeping up with The Run Challenge - hence the short, slow mileage - and plan to run the Rite Aid Cleveland 10K at a smooth and comfortable pace.  But I am putting my body first.  It's a humbling experience, and I challenge everyone to try it.  You'll be surprised with what you might learn about yourself.

On May 20, I'll be running the Cleveland 10K with a great group of cousins and friends!  You figure a 10K, no big deal, right?  Well...sort of.  This race is special, as we're running for my cousin Renee as she battles Von Hippel Lindau, a rare, genetic disease that runs in our family.

I will admit that I always take notice of the charity runners in races, but rarely do I ever stop to actually think about what they are doing and why they are doing it.

Since both Renee and this cause are extremely near and dear to me, I've asked her to to share her experience in her own words so that you can learn more :)

Hi Swim...Bike...Running on Empty friends!  I'm Renee, Julie's cousin, and I am so thankful you're allowing me to be part of your day today. 

As Julie said, we will be running in the Rite Aid Cleveland 10K on May 20 for research and awareness of Von Hippel Lindau (VHL).  Von Hippel Lindau is a rare, genetic disease that I was diagnosed with when I was 17 years old.  My dad and brother also have the disease.   It is characterized by the abnormal growth of tumors in certain parts of the body such as the brain, spinal cord, adrenal glands, eyes, kidneys, and pancreas.   Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for VHL. Treatment involves being proactive and early recognition of tumors.  Tumors can essentially develop out of nowhere, so frequent scans and consults with doctors are very important.  Tumors are removed when they start to grow and ultimately become problematic.

Throughout the past eleven years since I was diagnosed, I have met many people that went years, or even decades, unknowingly living with VHL.  They were being improperly diagnosed, and suffering pain from reoccurring tumors.  Hearing about these experiences was one reason why I wanted to sign up for and participate in the 10K.  I wanted to raise awareness for a disease that very few people really know about.   If more people can become aware of the signs and symptoms of VHL, hopefully we can see an increase in people being properly diagnosed!

When you have a chronic illness such as VHL, it is very easy to feel defeated or to feel as through you have little control over your life.  My family and I have lived through lung cancer, surgeries, and countless hours spent in waiting rooms unsure of the news that we were going to receive.  During my most recent trip to the hospital last August, I found out that a tumor on my brain had grown and there was some swelling in my brain.  The following day was the day that I decided I wanted to participate in a race.  By training for the 10K and challenging myself physically, I feel as though I am taking back some of that control I thought I had lost.  Through fundraising for the race, I feel like I am doing my part, no matter how small, to get one step closer to a cure.  I am looking forward to the experience of participating in my first 10K, especially because my family and many of my close friends will be running with me.  We will be “taking strides towards a cure,” and I pray we will get there someday soon!

Have you run a race for charity?  If not and you're interested, Caitlin has a great post today about racing for a cause.  This is something I hope to do more of in the future, but until then, it's time to rock out the Rite Aid Cleveland 10K to beat VHL!

Last night I completed my first run of The Run Challenge!  1.25 steady miles in the books.  And you know what I determined?  Any effort should be celebrated.  It's 1.25 miles more than someone who sat at home on the couch all day and did nothing!

Dinner was a first time go-around with buffalo chicken soup from How Sweet Eats.  Let me tell you, this fellow 'burgh gal can COOK.  And BAKE.  If you're in need of a great recipe, check her out.  Guaranteed she'll have one that's right up your alley!

Shaun and I kicked the morning off with a pup walk and some old fashioned oats!

Old fashioned oats, homemade peanut butter, sliced almonds & fresh strawberries.

In other news, want to know why today is awesome?  It's the birthday of one of the most special people in the world, my mother-in-law, Denise! 

(No, I am not trying to suck up.  It's too late for that!)

Lucky for us, we were able to get together with the family this past weekend to celebrate. The day was beautiful, with the sun shining down on us all.

The cake had peanut butter and chocolate icing and was insanely delicious. 
We never seem to starve ourselves, do we?

My niece Taryn and I took a break from the cake to pose for a pic for Uncle Shaun...

...while my other adorable niece, Ashlyn, kept the right priorities with the gobs :)

Sugar overload and a dance party ensued!  My kind of birthday party. 
Sunshine, good food, great treats and even better company in the form of family.

Yesterday was my final day off in my mini-vacation and how did I spend it?  At the grocery store, of course.  Actually, two to be exact.

There's a new Whole Foods opening in the north hills of Pittsburgh so I signed my mom and me up for a VIP pre-opening tour to check things out. 

The store seems to be much larger than the other one in the 'burgh and has a pretty killer bulk section, but the drive is definitely farther so we'll see.  I was really hoping for a juice bar in this location but no dice.  Maybe the beer pub will make up for it!

After our tour, we were fed some garlicky kale, pierogies + pork sausage sandwiches.  I had to laugh when I heard the pierogies were made outside of Fitlhadelphia.  Pierogies are a big thing in the 'burgh, and let's just say Philly isn't.

Next on the agenda was Market District to get down and dirty with my real grocery shopping for the week.  I had a lot on my list and 20% off thanks to Foodperks!

Our meals this week include a morning oatmeal bar, turkey sandwiches, salads, hamburgers, buffalo chicken soup and asian noodle soup.  We'll be snacking on fruit, yogurt, almonds, peanuts and carrot-apple-ginger juice.

In other more important news, it's May 1, and that means it's time to bring it back.

That's right, folks.  Back by popular demand - The Run Challenge.  The rules are the same as they were in February.  You must run every day.  At least one mile to count.  Indoor, outdoor, doesn't matter.  And it's not for time.  It's for fun!  And to prove to myself (and yourself) that you can do anything you set your mind to.  Want in?  Leave a comment below or email me at swimbikerunningonempty@gmail.com and I'll add you to the mix in The Run Challenge tab above!  I can tell you from experience that it's a lot of fun and that you'll be surprised at how much you'll gain not only physically but mentally.

What are you waiting for?  Lace up those running shoes and hit the pavement!