The McCarty Party

Paying My Dues In The Mountain Biking Club

2012-01-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

I should be paid in full for at least a few years, I’m hoping.

On Sunday afternoon, I was trying to decide between taking a nap and going for a quick mountain bike ride. I reminded myself that I usually regret taking naps, because I can’t sleep very well that night, but I never regret a great workout. So I gathered my gear and hit the trail. I was about two and a half miles in and feeling really strong. I came through a wash crossing and started climbing up a hill that I’ve made it up before. (I’ve also failed to make it up the hill before many times, but I’ve always been able to get off the bike easily enough and walk it to the top.)

Well something went wrong this time, and despite reliving the moment in the slow-motion instant replay of my mind dozens of times since, I can’t quite put my finger on the exact thing that went wrong this time. I started to lose my momentum about ¾ of the way out of the climb. As I tried to get one more revolution out of my pedals though, I lost my balance and toppled over to the left. Luckily, there was a nice cholla cactus to break my fall. If that had been all that happened, I would have dusted off, got back on my bike, and finished the last five miles of my ride. Unfortunately though, as I went down, my right leg fell onto the large front chain wheel.

You know…the big round thing with lots of pokey spikes all around it? Yeah, it pretty much drilled into my leg, right below the knee. I caught one brief glimpse of the torn flesh and exposed fat and knew I’d need stitches. Luckily, it wasn’t bleeding too fast, and it wasn’t on a part of my body where I had to look at it very much. I was able to avert my eyes, stay calm, assess my situation, and then call Joel. I always ride with my phone, and I was so thankful that Joel was in an area of the house where he actually heard his ring. I told him I’d wrecked and I was hurt pretty bad and would probably need to get stitches. I asked him if he’d drive to the trailhead to meet me in a few minutes. Once I knew he was on his way to save me, that helped me relax a bit. But I knew I still had a two mile ride to meet him. So I removed the larger chunks of cholla, picked up my bike, and got back in the saddle. Thank goodness it was a downhill ride back! I had a couple of spots to pedal through, but for the majority of the ride I was able to coast, which was way easier than walking would have been.

As I rode up to Joel, I’m sure he was thinking I was a big wuss, since my wound was on the back of my leg and he couldn’t see it. But as soon as I passed him and he saw it, I could hear him groan. He said “I’m going to have to take you to the hospital. You know that, right?” Yeah, I knew it.

So we loaded up the kids, called my dad, and I started searching on my phone to make sure the hospital we were headed to accepted our insurance. Joel was very calming, and I have to say, I was very brave. I was chatting with the PA while she was taking my medical history. When I told her I only had one kidney, she asked if I had any restrictions because of the donation. Joel told her I only had to avoid activities that might damage my remaining kidney. She kind of raised one eyebrow and asked “You mean, like mountain biking?” Well, to be perfectly fair, I only damaged my leg. My kidney was perfectly safe. And it would be at a much greater risk of damage from diabetes. So I told her I was really doing it a favor!

She took great care of me and had me fixed up in no time. It’s still pretty sore, but I think it is getting better. It is only really painful when I straighten my leg and the tension stretches the skin around my stitches. The worst part is that I’m basically restricted from any cardio for the next 10 days or so. And this sucks big time. I really feel like I was on the way to busting through a new plateau with my running, and now I feel like I’ll be starting way back at square one. I know I’ll bounce back quicker than I’m dreading, but it is so disappointing to think about losing the fitness that I worked SO damn hard to gain.

As you can see though, it gets a little bit better each day. Hopefully I’ll be back in the saddle in no time!

Disney Pin Display Board

2011-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

My mom is the crafty one in the family, and the tacky glue gene seems to have skipped right over me. Whenever I need something, she's my go-to gal to get it sewed, assembled, crafted, or what have you. But I managed to put together this little display board on my own. I'm tempted to take it over to my mom's house so she can fix it to look a little nicer, but I'm happy enough with it right now. It's better than hiding my pins away in my jewelry box, like I've been doing for the past few years!

I started collecting Disney pins about 5 years ago, and I pick one out each time we go to the park. I've also been given some adorable pins by friends and family members when they return from Disneyland.

I think they are the perfect souvenir and collectable. They are small, easy to store, inexpensive, and able to capture personality traits and interests in one tiny deocration.

I started collecting Pirates-themed pins when Elliot started kindergarten. (The kids' school mascot is the Pirates.)

I picked out the Grumpy Xtra Stout pin when I started drinking beer.

I got the Mickey Jedi pin when the kids each did the Jedi Training Academy last summer.

Other pins in my collection feature assorted favorite characters or elements of the parks. Chip and Dale were my favorite characters as a kid, and I love the vintage Disney stuff too!

I even started picking out pins for the kids on our trips, trying to get ones that capture what their interests were at that particular time. I said I'd give them their pins when they got a little older, but I fear it will be difficult to surrender them!

Now we are just 43 days away from our next Disneyland trip (according to the kids' countdown calendars), and I can't wait to see what sort of pin I pick to represent this visit. And now I have a cool place to display it!

I Need Some Motivation!

2011-10-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

I'm in a bit of a slump right now and just having trouble mustering my desire and pouring it into my workouts. It's not that I don't want to exercise...it's more that I'm feeling some burn-out. I'm eager to branch out and try some new things, but until I get through my next race, I feel like I need to commit the majority of my time to running.

So I'm injecting my afternoon with some motivational pictures. After postponing this morning's run until after work (because, let's face it...it's much easier to leave work to go for a run than it is to leave bed) I'm doing some mental warm-ups to get me in the right frame of mind for a good afternoon workout.

These are some of my favorite motivational pictures from around the interwebs. Hopefully there is enough running propaganda in here to get my legs moving!

Grand Canyon ... Rim to Rim ... In One Day!

2011-09-25T21:31:00.001-07:00

"Grand" is a bit of an understatement. They should rename that thing the Great Awesome Enormous Spectacular Humbling Dizzying Grand Canyon. But even changing the name wouldn't be enough to do it justice. All of these pictures can't even begin to show it for what it really is.

We arrived at the South Rim on Friday afternoon and enjoyed a leisurely lunch at El Tovar before we caught our shuttle to the North Rim. Joel aptly named our van the "Desert Tortoise Express". We had to endure a nearly 6 hour van ride to get to the starting point of our hike. Thankfully we were able to pass the hours with some very cool people.

These are our "before" hike pictures on Friday, looking very rested and chipper.

After an awesome dinner at the North Rim Lodge, we checked into our quaint little cabin and tried to rest up for our long day ahead.

We got to the trail head around 6:00 am. It was still dark and about 38 degrees out, but we just tried to enjoy the cool weather while it lasted. The bottom of the canyon would be over 100 degrees.

We were surprised by how busy the trail was! There seemed to be a steady stream of people filing down the North Kaibab trail. The first leg of our journey took us from the North Rim of the Canyon down to Phantom Ranch. I had wrongly assumed that going down would be a lot easier. Not so much. After pounding my legs on 14 miles of descent on loose rocks (I fell and skinned my knee at mile 2!) my legs were absolutely wrecked by the time we made it to Phantom Ranch. I took my shoes off, rinsed my legs and feet with some cold water, stretched out, and rested for a good hour. We had some lunch and drank a glass of the best lemonade in the world. Before long, it was time to mix up some electrolyte drinks, top off our Camelbacks, and head off on the next leg of the journey: 10 more miles and 5500' of elevation gain.

We finally made it to Phantom Ranch!

You can't see the Colorado River from either rim of the Canyon. That's because it is WAY deeper than you can see... the river is basically in a canyon inside a canyon.

We actually kept a pretty swift pace on the ascent. I'm not too sure-footed and I have trouble going downhill (note the skinned knee above). But when I'm climbing, I'm able to go into march mode, detach my mind, and just chug through the miles. It's still hard, but I don't have to think about it as much, which is a big help. We made it to Indian Gardens in a couple of hours and stopped to enjoy another snack and rest. I tried to avoid looking up at all costs, because I knew I still had one hell of a climb ahead of me.

The trek from Indian Gardens to the 3 mile rest house wasn't too bad, but those last three miles to the top were KILLER. Three miles doesn't seem like a big deal, right? Wrong. That was the longest 3 mile death march I've ever endured. The only awesome part was that we were passing people left and right. At this point, we wanted to get out of the canyon before dark, and were were pretty determined and focused. I'll admit though, when I stopped to rest at the 3 mile rest house, I entertained the thought of just living there forever and never moving again. It was tempting.

Who needs a bed? I will just sleep here forever, thank you.

But we persevered. We marched on, up one switchback after another. We seemed to climb higher and higher, yet it was almost impossible to perceive how much climbing we still had to do. Finally, I turned a corner and my eyes landed on the Kolb Studio at the trail head. Of all the amazing sights we enjoyed during the day, I think that one was the most beautiful one of all!

As I rounded that last corner, though, I had another surprise waiting for me! My darling friend Kristi was waiting at the top of the rim to present me with my very own finisher's medal! She had also picked out some awesome Rim to Rim shirts for Joel and me. I couldn't have asked for a better cheerleader!

When we were talking to Kristi and her parents that night at dinner, Joel and I were both saying that we would NEVER do that again. But, after a nice long sleep and a couple of decent meals, we've both decided that we'll definitely take on the rim to rim hike again someday. It's just too Great, Awesome, Enormous, Spectacular, Humbling, Dizzying, and Grand not to experience again!

Meet Taña

2011-09-11T17:00:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking, wishing, and hoping for a mountain bike for quite a long time now. But I just hadn't had that little burst of motivation I needed to take the plunge and invest in a bike. In fact, I had decided that I would make my 2012 New Year's Resolution be to take up mountain biking. I figured that would give me lots of time. Well last weekend, Joel and Chad managed to light a spark under me.

They went out for a ride on Sunday morning. When they got back, they both started laying it on pretty thick, telling me they didn't think I could 'handle' mountain biking. They thought it would be too tough for me. They thought I wouldn't really enjoy it because it's really hard. At this point, I had already logged 15 miles in two runs that week, and was getting ready to head out the door for 5 more. Needless to say, I was getting pretty damned irritated with them. How dare they? I'm in the best shape of my life, and they're sitting here telling me it's too hard??? Well I start fuming... Giving them a piece of my mind.... Telling them I'm tougher than they think. And they start laughing. Chad tells Joel, "See, I told you... the quickest way to get Chandy into mountain biking is to tell her she can't do it." They were just trying to get a rise out of me, and I fell for it. They wanted me to hurry up and buy a bike so I could start joining them on rides. I went to the bike shop the next day.

That is where I met Montaña. I call her Taña for short. She is a Specialized Myka Sport 29er, and I really, really like her.

Since Joel and I had a date night last night, while the kids stayed with my parents, that meant we also had a date morning. Usually on date mornings, we would do a hike or a trail run together. But now we can ride together!

Joel took me out for a very thorough lesson. He's been mountain biking for close to 20 years, so he really had to dumb it down for me, but I was glad to be out there with someone who knew what he was doing. (Especially when my chain fell off...I would have been up a creek if I was by myself!) He tried to teach me everything he knew about shifting, climbing, descending, braking, and reading the terrain.

It was a little frustrating learning the technique and mechanics of riding. Pedaling down the street is one thing... it's an entirely different beast to come down a steep wash crossing with a sandy bottom, and then make a sharp 90 degree turn to climb back out over a bunch of loose rocks. There is definitely some technically difficult areas back in the Sonoran Mountain Preserve, but it's really fun too. We did about 13-14 miles, and by the end, even though I was pretty gassed, I was feeling much more confident and proficient. And practice makes perfect, so if I keep at it, I'll be flying along the trails like Joel does in no time!

Happy Trails!

Back to School Time

2011-08-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Another school year is officially underway! I don't know where they get it from (ha!), but Elliot and Ethan were so excited for school to start. Elliot was especially pumped to get her new school supplies. (Who can blame her? Just the smell of a new binder brings a smile to my face.)

And Ethan was eager to help pack his lunch and get his new backpack all loaded up.

They were both up bright and early on Monday morning, ready to put on their cool new clothes and even willing to indulge me with some poses.

We even got to school early enough to avoid too much of a parking nightmare. Elliot helped me walk Ethan to his classroom. He was a little bit nervous (and I got the vibe that his teacher was a little frazzled and unorganized....hope she gets it together!) but he put on his brave face and settled in to have a great first day. I was so proud of him!!

After we dropped Ethan off, I took Elliot to find her class in the the big circle in the middle of the school. This is where their school-wide Pirate Pride assemblies take place every Friday. I know Grandpa is looking forward to attending those again this year when he drops the kids off!

It only took Elliot about 4.5 seconds to find a bunch of her buds. There were lots of hugs and squeals and much mutual admiration of new outfits. I've really enjoyed getting to know Elliot's girlfriends better over the last year. They are a very sweet bunch of little girls, and I'm glad she has such a nice group of kids to hang out with.

Looking forward to a great year!!

Payback Time

2011-08-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

I did a bad, bad thing today.

But I made my legs payback my ass in a big way.

I Have a Coach!

2011-08-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

I used to think that the only runners that had coaches were students on a school cross country team or elite athletes trying to hone their skills for the Olympics. But after I read this post on a running blog I read frequently, I wondered if a coach might be able to help an average middle-of-the-pack runner like me. It really isn’t any different than having a session with a personal trainer at the gym, right? And lots of people do that. And while I realized that a coach would never be able to turn me into an outstanding runner, I figured he could definitely help me become the very best runner I could be. That seemed like one of the best investments I could make!

I’ve been running under the guidance of my coach for a little over a month now, and I am thrilled with the results. After I filled him in on my running background, experience level, and my goals for the future, he quickly went to work in crafting a plan to help me achieve them. Each week he outlines my runs for the week, and then checks in on me regularly to make sure they are going well.

My fancy new running shoes after this morning's hill intervals

Even in a short period of time, I’ve noticed improvements in my speed and endurance. In part, I know this is due to hard work on my runs. But I also attribute part of that to the coaching as well. While I’m doing the sweating, I know that my coach has armed me with some useful tools, pointed me in the right direction, and then given me a nice push to keep it up. It works so well for my personality and level of discipline. If I have a run on the schedule, and if I know that I’ll have someone checking in on me to see how I did, I simply DO NOT skip that run. It’s been a great source of accountability!

I’ve slowly transformed from a person with a running hobby to a person with a running passion. I start to get that twitchy need-to-run feeling in my legs on rest days. I notice every single runner out on the sidewalks when I’m driving, and I feel a little camaraderie with them. I plan my day around my run, instead of planning my run around my day.

I’m thankful for the way my coach has improved my running, and for the way my running has improved my life.

Durango, Colorado

2011-07-29T13:32:00.001-07:00

In the olden days, I would have made my friends come over to my house, served them white zinfandel and casserole, and forced them to view my vacation slides on a projector screen. But today, I’ll just make you look at my vacation pictures on my blog. I’d still love to have you over to my house, but rest assured, I would never serve you a white zinfandel.

We enjoyed a week-long getaway to the Durango, Colorado area. I know I say this after every vacation, but this was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken! We had so much fun!

We rented a condo at Durango Mountain Resort. The last time Joel and I were there, the mountain was blanketed in gorgeous white snow. This time, it was covered with rich green grass, wild flowers, and flowing streams.

Trip Highlights:

The Slide Ride: This was definitely one of the kids’ favorite parts of the trip. We got to ride the chairlift, grab a sled, and fly down the long slide to the bottom of the mountain over and over again. Fun!

Bar-D Chuckwagon: This was a very entertaining dinner show that I remember seeing when I was a kid. The performers were hilarious, and the kids really enjoyed it.

Silverton: This is a tiny little town north of Durango, and we loved this little spot! We took a very cool mine tour at the Old One Hundred mine, the kids enjoyed ice cream and a stage coach ride, and Joel and I found the coolest bar with the best drinks in the entire world. Montanya Distillers makes their award-winning rum right in Silverton. They mix up amazing drinks with the freshest ingredients, and then serve them on their gorgeous patio at the foot of the mountains.

Ouray: Box Canyon Falls is just too amazing for words. Humbling and breath taking. We also took a little hike up to another waterfall, and enjoyed lunch at yet another brewery. This town is just adorable, and while visiting, Joel and I were inspired to sign up for next year’s Imogene Pass Run. Crazy much?

River Rafting and Zip-lining:We found a combo package for a morning of zip-lining and an afternoon of rafting in the Animas River. Both of these outings were incredibly fun…the kids were literally squealing with delight.

Hiking and Running: I had three runs on my training schedule, and I’m happy to say I completed all of them, despite the fact that every run was on a fierce incline at 8500’+ elevation. The kids enjoyed doing a bit of hiking as well. My little desert-dwellers were quite intrigued with the abundant water.

R&R: One of the best parts of the trip was just chillin’ out with my favorite people. I cooked some amazing dinners while my dad was on dessert duty. I ate Dutch oven peach cobbler on the patio, laughed, snuggled my babies, played cards, drank wine, and took slow deep breaths. It. Was. Heavenly.

I can’t recommend Durango highly enough. It’s a very reasonable drive from Phoenix, has dozens of fun activities for kids and families, and is more beautiful than pictures can even come close to showing. No offense to San Diego, but when everyone in Phoenix is ready for something different, Durango is ready to show you an amazing time!

Magic Potions

2011-07-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

I have discovered two little treasures recently, and because I’m very nice, I wanted to spread the good word.

Nivea’s Goodbye Cellulite Gel-Cream
I workout like crazy, and I’m actually thrilled with the definition in my legs right now. But those strong glutes and hamstrings are still speckled with some cellulite, and there isn’t much that exercise can do about that. I started using this stuff a few weeks ago, and I can honestly say I see an improvement. And it’s pretty cheap, compared to other cellulite snake oils, so you have nothing to lose! If, however, you think I’m going to share before and after pictures of my dimpled ass, then you’re too crazy to be my friend anymore. Shoo. Go on. Get out of here.

Dancing Willow Herbs Pleasuring Balm
I stepped into the cutest little herb shop while on vacation in Durango, Colorado. I felt like I was Claire Fraser gathering medicaments at the local apothecary. But when I came across a little jar with the label of Pleasuring Balm, I was too curious to not try it. Again, I’m not going to give you any details of the product’s efficacy (yes, it is for exactly what you think it is for), but I will assure you that it was well worth the $8 I spent. It’s like the gift that will keep on giving…over and over…and over… and over again.

Conscientious Consumer vs. Me Is Stoopid

2011-07-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

Who loves iced tea? This girl. Especially since I gave up Diet Coke about 3 weeks ago, I really enjoy a refreshing glass of cold iced tea. As such, I’ve made a very smart investment: tea bags. It’s revolutionary technology. Apparently you just add hot water and wait for a few minutes. The water then turns into tasty, tasty tea.

I purchased a box tea bags for $2.16. Once brewed, this works out to a unit cost of $0.0042 per ounce. A glass should run me about three cents.

At lunch today, I was craving some tea with my turkey sandwich. Luckily for me, there is a Starbucks right across the street from my office. I bought myself a delicious cup of unsweetened black tea for $2.75. This yields a unit cost of $0.1146 per ounce. That is 27 TIMES more expensive than the above referenced Lipton tea bags. Yes it was delicious, but I’m an idiot! Who do they think they are, and why do I stand in line to buy it???

Bricks on Their Heads

2011-06-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

Joel and I often tease the kids by telling them we are going to strap bricks to the tops of their heads to keep them from growing too fast. They are both just getting so big! We've spent a lot of time with different friends lately that have younger babies, and seeing their little ones makes me realize just how grown-up our kids are getting.

But even though I'll always cherish wonderful memories of their baby and toddler years, in many ways I'm actually so glad to be beyond that phase and enjoying this new chapter in our lives: The Big Kid Years. As the kids have gotten older, bigger, and more capable, we're able to enjoy so many more activities as a family. Elliot and Ethan are learning to like the same activities that Joel and I like to do. So many things that we've talked about doing as a family 'someday' when the kids get older are now easily within their capabilities. They have both developed so much physical strength, perseverance, endurance, confidence, and maturity. They are truly ready to conquer the world by our sides, one adventure at a time! (Well, we'll start with the smaller adventures first ;)

A few weeks ago we took a spontaneous drive down to Tucson to go for a hike. We ended up at Sabino Canyon on the trail to Seven Falls.

The trail is a little over 8 miles round trip. Unfortunately, we only made it about 7 miles. It was getting very warm and we were running low on water. Joel and I decided it just wasn't very safe to keep going. We didn't want to risk the kiddos getting heat exhaustion.

Elliot and Ethan were awesome little troopers and kept up with us for more than 4 miles. We helped them out a bit over the last 3 miles with some piggy back rides, but they really did awesome. (And Joel and I got a great extra workout hauling kids at the end of the hike!)

The scenery in Sabino Canyon is amazing. I used to enjoy hiking there during my good ol' days at UofA, and I was glad to show off my old hiking spot to Joel and the kids. Please also note the exquisite scenery that is my collection of chins. I have not yet completed my catalogue of the various chin specimens in this picture, but for now I am noting them as Chin Proper, Supplemental Chin A, and Supplemental Chin B.

I guess we'll go ahead and skip the bricks on their heads. These kids just get more and more fun as the days go by. I can't wait to see the adventures we'll share with them.

Woody and Jessie Birthday Cake

2011-06-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well hello there friends! And Dad! My how time flies! Remember when I used to be an awesome mom and make super cool cakes for each of the kids' birthdays? You know, Star Wars and Cars and Girly Pirates and whatnot? Well, this year turned out a bit differently. We had a combined family party in June to split the difference of Ethan's May birthday with Elliot's July. And trust me, one cake was more than enough this year!

So since we were trying to combine the interests of a 5-year old boy with a 7-year old girl, we had to find a cake theme that would appeal to both kiddos. Actually, that's not true at all. My mom and I just wanted to make a cake with black and white cow spots to serve on red bandanna paper plates. We didn't actually ask for the kids' input at all.

Side note: I ordered those little figurines online to use as a cake topper, and the dimensions listed were not even close to accurate. Lesson learned: items on amazon are not as large as they might appear. Oh well...if you look closely, you can almost tell that those minuscule pieces of plastic are Woody and Jessie. I think they enjoyed their cake anyway!

Even more importantly, they enjoyed some play time with their cousins and another great family get-together.

(Oh, and their new video games from grandma and grandpa...that might have been the best part of all ;)

La Jolla Kayaking

2011-06-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

Joel and I enjoyed a peaceful kayak excursion in Curacao on our honeymoon about a decade ago. It was a ton of fun, so when I happened to find a Living Social deal for a kayaking tour in La Jolla, I jumped on it. We were going to be in San Diego for the race anyway, so we decided we should make a mini-vacation out of the trip.

I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner…I’m usually a pretty smart gal. But about 4.5 seconds after our kayaking adventure began, I became immediately aware of the fact that peacefully rowing in a gentle Caribbean lagoon is not quite the same thing as hoisting a kayak through the rough waves of the Pacific. It was hard work, and quite a rush, but we had so much fun! I’m glad we had the chance to see the caves of La Jolla from a different perspective.

(Photo)

We didn’t go inside the caves, and I was quite thankful for that. The surf was pretty rough, and there were giant waves crashing into the walls. The last thing I wanted to do was get closer to those powerful explosions of water. But as we were drifting offshore, two big dolphins swam along right next to us, no more than 10 feet away from our boat. It was amazing! I’ve even done the ‘swimming with the dolphins’ thing before, but seeing them in their natural environment was breathtaking. I wish I could have had a picture!

By the end of the tour, we were already pretty soaked from the big waves spilling into our boat. But as we headed into shore, a wave actually capsized our kayak and finished the soaking completely.

After 13.1 miles of running in the morning, and 2 miles of rough ocean rowing in the afternoon, Joel and I were exhausted. We had a quick burger and then ran into a grocery store for a 6-pack of beer and a couple of éclairs to enjoy before we crashed back at the hotel. We may have more ambition than sense, but thanks to our willingness to try new things, we always seem to enjoy some pretty awesome adventures!

San Diego Half Marathon!

2011-06-06T21:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know how else to start this post other than saying.... I totally rocked it!! And not only did I rock, but I had fun too! This was such a great race, and the runners' high I felt afterwards was the icing on the cake.

I went into the race with a 'realistic goal' and a 'dream goal'. Realistically, I was thinking I could finish in 2:40. In dream land, I thought it would be awesome to finish in 2:30. Well, I beat my dream goal by a whole minute and a half and finished in 2:28:31!!!

Yes, I totally realize that there are so many awesome runners out there who would laugh at those numbers. But for me, it was a complete and total victory, and I was thrilled with my effort. And statistically, it wasn't too shabby! Overall, I placed 9,426th out of 27,000-ish runners, 5,484th out of all female runners, and 1,164th out of 2,313 runners in my division. Top 50% of my group means I was in the totally awesome half! So when Ethan asked me today if I won my race, I told him I sure felt like I did. (I tried to explain that Meb Keflezighi won the race, but Ethan wasn't impressed...He said he could probably run faster than him. Methinks he's a bit too confident in his own athletic prowess.)

There were definitely parts of the San Diego course that were challenging (a few hills that just never seemed to end, and a couple of miles running on a pretty banked superelevation, which was tough on my ankles), but overall I really enjoyed the course a lot. The first four miles were through the Balboa Park area, and that was all very pretty. Then we took the on-ramp to the 163 freeway, which was actually really neat! The freeway in this area was in cut, with steep slopes of bright greens shrubs and trees on either side, and there were lots of overpasses with spectators lined up to watch the runners. After about the 7th mile, the course got pretty boring though. And the last mile was pretty tough, because I could see the end in the distance, and in my head I knew I was close, but it seemed SO far away.

Mentally, I performed so much better in this race. I managed to distract myself pretty easily. For the most part, I was passing people instead of being passed, which helped boost my confidence. I also enjoyed the people watching on the course, especially reading people's t-shirts. {My two favorites: "Run Like a Mom: Enjoy 26.2 Miles of Peace and Quite" and "It isn't sweat, it's fat cells crying"} Since this race was also a charity run to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, there were also lots of runners wearing shirts in honor or memory of loved ones. Some of those were very touching and encouraging, but pretty sad too. Joel agreed, and even told me he had to stop reading them because he was tearing up a bit. Thinking about people fighting life and death battles really puts the race into perspective and helps you push through. I remember having a little pity party at about 9.5 miles, thinking about how I was getting tired. I finally snapped out of it and yelled at myself. "Of course it's hard! Did you think it would be easy? You're running a half marathon, not sitting on a couch! Quit your complaining and run faster!" Yes, I actually said those words to myself, and yes, they actually worked.

If you've ever even entertained the tiniest notion of entering a race, DO IT. You will not regret it at all! If you've never ran before, start by running to the end of your block...then go a little farther....then a little farther than that. Then sign up for a 5k. If you run consistently, but seem to have reached a plateau, then enter a race that is way outside your comfort zone. If I can do it, then this sport is truly open to anyone that has a willing spirit. The running community is so supportive and encouraging, and I think every single person who laces up a pair of running shoes is eager to welcome new runners to the club. The more the merrier! (And if you need further proof that runners are just plain fun people, check out the flash mob from the San Diego starting line!)

Overall, this was as close to a perfect race experience as I could ask for. I had so much fun and I'm already looking forward to my next half. (Santa Barbara in November???)

Thank You Cooking Bob Ross!

2011-06-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

It has been ages since I’ve had time to write… it isn’t from lack of ideas. There are many things floating around in my mind that I’d love to document… our recent family hike, my upcoming race, the most asinine statistic I’ve ever heard, my new love affair with hot yoga… Perhaps I’ll get to those one day. But for now, since I’m hungry and thinking only about food, I’ll share this little tidbit.

I was chillin’ in front of the TV over the long weekend and stumbled across a cooking show on PBS. I’m not usually a fan of public television (why on earth should tax payers subsidize a television channel? I can think of no good reason!), but this caught my eye. It was called Primal Grill, and it was hosted by some crazy-haired guy and accompanied by some wicked bongo music.

The grill ninja started sharing his wisdom with the television audience, and Joel and I were transfixed. We were ready to hear the preacher preach! And when he started to make Butter Burgers, it was decided then and there that I would be having one soon. Best. Burger. EVER.

As Chad and Joel and I dug into these succulent garlic-basil-chive butter burgers, we were all giving our enthusiastic praise to the one and only Bob Ross of cooking, Primal Grill Master Steven Raichlen. Thank you cooking Bob Ross!

Butter Burgers

Directions:
Note: In this recipe, you fold a disk of garlic herb butter into the center of the burger. As the burger grills, the butter melts, keeping the meat moist and lusciouseven when cooked through.

For the hamburgers:

1-1/2 pounds ground sirloin, round, or chuck (15 to 20 per cent fat)
4 tablespoons Garlic-Herb Butter (recipe follows), cut into four 1/2-inch
thick slices
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
2 tablespoons melted butter

For the toppings (any or all of the following):

Bibb or red leaf lettuce leaves
Thin slices of raw or grilled sweet onions
Sliced ripe red tomato
Mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, or whatever other condiments you like

Wet your hands with cold water and divide the ground beef into 4 portions. Using a light touch, pat each portion into a thick patty formed around a slice of herb butter. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate the burgers, covered, on a plate lined with plastic wrap while you preheat the grill.

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.

Place the burgers on the hot grate and season again with salt and pepper.

Place the burgers on the hot grill, and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. (An instant-read meat thermometer inserted through the side of the burgerparallel to the grill grateshould read at least 160 degrees F.) Remove the burgers from the grill and cover to keep warm. Leave the grill on.

Brush the cut sides of the hamburger buns with the melted butter, if using. Place the buns on the hot grill, cut side down, and grill until toasted, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Watch carefully. You may need to work in batches.

Assemble the burgers: On the bottom half of each bun, place a lettuce leaf followed by a slice of onion and tomato. Top with the burger, the condiments of your choice, and the top half of the bun.

Garlic Butter

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, including parsley, chives, basil, oregano, and/or tarragon leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature

Directions:
Place the herbs, garlic, pepper, and butter in a small mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can do the beating in a mixer or food processor.

Lay a 12-inch square piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on your work surface and mound the flavored butter in the center. Roll it up into a cylinder, twisting the ends to compact the butter. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. The butter will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer. To use, unwrap the roll and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. (Leftovers are great on steakadd a pat just before servingbread, eggs, or potatoes.)

Unreasonably High Standards

2011-05-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

I spent a portion of my afternoon yesterday assisting the Society of American Military Engineers Scholarship Committee choose recipients for our scholarships. Hundreds of high school seniors applied for one of our five awards, most of them hoping to pursue a career in the engineering field. The field of hopeful candidates was narrowed down to a dozen, and from there, we had to pick the five most worthy applicants.

As I sat there reading through these kids’ resumes and lists of activities and accolades, I was a bit overwhelmed. And I seriously thought for a moment, “Wow, Elliot and Ethan better start getting more serious if they want to have a chance at getting a scholarship someday!”

For one thing, it seems like a 4.0 GPA just isn’t what it used to be. Apparently, GPAs are weighted to favor AP and advanced classes, allowing students to potentially earn a 5.0 GPA. I took almost all AP classes when I was in school, and I totally don’t remember that…who knew?

And don’t forget the extracurricular activities! Students not only excel in sports, but they volunteer to coach younger students as well. And play the cello. And study Russian language. And enter robotics competitions and build 3D computer models. And serve as officers in Key Club and National Honor Society. And teach Sunday School classes at their church. And the list goes on!

I just can’t see myself forcing my kids to be hyper-achieving super students, and if this means they might not get scholarships due to their lack of skills in translating Mandarin and glazing pottery, then so be it. (Thank goodness their college funds are performing well!) I want them to pursue the hobbies that truly excite them…to push themselves physically in sports for the simple pleasure of moving their bodies and playing with their friends…to apply themselves to intellectual studies for the joy of learning about the Creation around them…to serve others with empathy and graciousness for God’s glory. If that means they’ll be merely ‘average’, then I guess I’ll be the exceedingly proud mom of two average, wonderful kids.

Warrior Dash!

2011-05-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

So Sunday was pretty much the most fun I've ever had at a race! I'll use the term 'race' loosely here... we ran with our friends as a group, and we all stayed together. Speed definitely wasn't our main focus of the day (the terrain was pretty rough, and the last thing I want is a sprained ankle a month before San Diego.) We were only looking for some fun. And we sure found it!

We were in the first wave of the day on Sunday morning, so we arrived bright and early to get checked-in. Of course we needed some before pictures, to remember what our clothes looked like when they were actually clean.

(Bill had a helmet-cam...can't wait to see his video highlights!)

A lot of the warriors really get into the spirit of the event and come in costume. We saw a man dressed as Marilyn Monroe, a nun, lots of super heroes, fat guys with butterfly wings, some super-fit ROTC guys wearing nothing but pink tighties, and even Lt. Dangle.

We lined up in our corral a few minutes before go time, and as the starting fire blasted, we took off at a pretty fast run. The whole course was about 3.4 miles, and there weren't any obstacles for the first mile or so. We had planned to take it easy, but I think we were running about a 9:30 pace that first mile. The first obstacle had about six 4' high walls that you had to climb over, alternated with barbed wire fences that you had to crawl under. After that, there were some steep hills to climb, a bunch of junk cars and old tires to climb over, a long river of knee-deep mud, a tower of hay bales, a cargo-net wall, a little wall to climb up and then rappel down, a big wall to go up and over, an elevated horizontal net to climb across, a big tangle of ropes to cross through (I totally looked like Catherine Zeta Jones in that one movie with Sean Connery), two rows of fire to jump over, and the infamous pool of mud to get through. None of the obstacles were too hard to get through, and they were just hard enough to make it fun and interesting. We all looked forward to seeing what obstacles were waiting for us next. I was having fun in the mud pool at the end, but the whole bottom of the pit was lined with gravel. My hands and knees were pretty sore by the time I finally got across (you had to stay down low in the mud because there was barbed wire above you).

So we crossed the finish line, lined up for the infamous 'after' pictures, got rinsed off by a fire hose, drank some beers, and started making plans for next year's run!

I finished in about 46 minutes, but I definitely didn't push myself to my limit... we kept it at an easy jog after the first mile. I haven't decided if I want to go all out next time, or take it easy again and just enjoy the course...I'd hate for it to be over too soon!

Joel and I are so glad to have such awesome friends that enjoy doing silly things with us...Doing cool things makes for great memories.

Cook Book Review

2011-04-12T12:16:00.002-07:00

I'm sitting at my desk, finishing up another lunch of delicious and healthy leftovers, and I've finally decided that I must share the good news on my recent culinary discovery.

I almost never buy cookbooks. Why pay money for recipes when they are all over the internet for free? But I stumbled across this one, Cooking Light's Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals, at Elliot's school book fair. I grabbed it on a whim, more to support the school than to increase my recipe collection.

I have been so thrilled with this book! I usually create my weekly meal plans from an array of dinner options in my recipe binder. But I've been using this cookbook exclusively for nearly a month now, haven't repeated a single recipe yet, and every single one we've tried has been delicious.

Unlike other cookbooks, which promise 30-minute meals that suspiciously look more like an hour, this one actually delivers. Not all recipes have 5 ingredients or take 15 minutes, but all of them are simple and easy enough for any working mom to bust out on a weeknight. And they all seem to focus on fresh, whole foods with interesting flavor combinations. It would take a very long time to get bored of all of the options this book offers. While a few ingredients have been hard to locate at my Wal-mart (pancetta, watercress, arugula), I'm always able to grab any special items at the Safeway next to my office. And while I'm blessed to have two kids that are the polar opposite of picky eaters, they are still kids. But they've gobbled up every bite of each recipe I've sampled. (Yes, I'm very thankful to have kids who happily proclaim a grilled veggie and arugula salad a 'keeper' instead of scoffing at the green stuff.)

I have more than my fair share of dusty, untouched cookbooks on the shelf in my pantry. But this isn't one of them. It's open on my counter top, with plenty of food splatters on the bookmarked pages.

This Will Be Like The Super Walmart of Blog Posts...

2011-03-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

A bunch of random crap that you don’t really need gathered into one crowded area, but at least it’s cheap.

The days have been insanely busy lately, and I feel like the year is just screaming by. I haven’t had much in the way of spare time to post any blog updates lately. I’m sure my dad has missed reading them. (That probably isn’t true. He’s a very busy man, and he’s got better things to do than read this junk.)

Well, I’m here to do some catch-up now with a few highlights.

1. I’ve busted through a major plateau with my running. The secret? I’ve started incorporating speed intervals into my workouts. No more just setting out for a run at my usual poky pace. Now I crank it up until I’m panting, gasping, and shaking. Feeling miserable never felt so great! To keep the workouts interesting, I always vary it a bit…but basically I run about a mile at a 10:00 minute pace to warm up, then for the next mile and a half I do intervals at 7:30-10:00 minute pace with walk breaks in between, and then wrap up the next half mile with a 10:00 minute pace cool down. This usually leaves me sweating like a fat girl at her sister’s wedding, but the awesome news is that I’ve shaved 1:00-1:30 off my pace on longer weekend runs!

2. In semi-related news, I’ve lost about 10 pounds recently. This is doubtless due to the more strenuous workouts, but also because I’ve been trying to make some wiser food choices. (Newsflash: exercising more and eating less has been proven to cause weight loss!) I feel SO much better, and I think I look a lot nicer too. Running also seems to be a lot easier when I’m not schlepping around an extra 10 pounds. That’s how much a large bag of potatoes weighs, people! That’s heavy! I’m thinking about contacting Cream of Wheat to see if they are interested in a spokesperson. “I lost ten pounds, and all I did was substitute my usual donut for a bowl of tasty Cream of Wheat!” I’ll be like the next Jared.

3. My entire life, I’ve always thought I didn’t like beer. But a few months ago, I decided to make the commitment to learn to like it. I was willing to push through my initial aversion to acquire the taste. My commitment has paid off, and I absolutely love beer now. Similarly, I went through my early adulthood thinking I didn’t like Chinese food. Well as it turns out, I just don’t like bad Chinese food. But good Chinese food and good beer? (Not necessarily together, but they certainly could be…) That, I like.

4. I’ve planted my spring garden and it is thriving! This year, I’m looking forward to enjoying several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and some seriously robust-looking cauliflower. I might even say that I’ll have a plethora of cauliflowers.

5. I haven’t been reading very much at all this year. I attribute that to TV. I’ve started watching the Biggest Loser, which is an hour and a half or ridiculousness each week. And Joel and I are also watching Sons of Anarchy on DVD and I’m totally obsessed with that show. How I love those gun-running motorcycle gangsters. I love them so darn much that my poor Nook has been feeling lonely!

6. My baby boy is registered for Kindergarten, and he will be able to join the summer program offered by our school district. One of the best parts of all of this? Less than two months to go at Tutor Time!! My daycare bill will soon be dropping significantly!!

7. I would really love to invest said daycare savings on a fancy grown-up getaway to Santa Barbara to see my favorite group, the Zac Brown Band.

8. In all reality though, most of our extra pennies will be directly handed over to our good buddies at the IRS, who seem to get greedier and greedier each year. No matter how we adjust our withholdings for the upcoming year, we always seem to owe about a gazillion dollars. Who are you people that actually get money back from the government? I do not understand this strange concept. We’re seriously ready to put on some solar panels just so we can deduct a wee bit more…

9. Work. Oy. Work has been crazy lately. I started to write an update on work, but it got to be so boring that I almost fell asleep. And since no one has likely read this through to the end, what’s the point really?

Enough about me! How have you all been lately? Let’s go grab a beer and catch up!!

There are worse ways to spend an afternoon than with your legs wrapped around your husband's backside!

2011-03-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of the perfect weather today to go for a nice motorcycle ride. Joel enjoys riding as often as our busy schedule allows, but it's a rare treat for both of us to go out together. It was a rather spontaneous adventure, but the kids were thrilled to spend the afternoon with Grandma and Grandpa, and Joel and I were thrilled to hit the road!

We loaded up and headed out...

And yes, I do occasionally take pictures while we're doing 65 down the highway. Being on the bike, I find myself appreciating nature so much more and I just can't help myself :)

And riding behind Joel, I find I just can't help myself from snagging pictures of him as well!

We drove up through Wickenburg and then into some tiny little towns... Congress, Yarnell, Peeples Valley, and on into Kirkland. At this point, we were getting mighty thirsty so we stopped at the world-famous Kirkland Bar for a nice cold drink.

Bikers are just about the nicest people you'll ever meet (generally speaking, of course). Did you know that when bikers pass each other on the highway, they always have a friendly little wave for their fellow rider? (Well, it's not really a wave...they kind of tip their left hand downwards, pointing toward the pavement.) And did you know that a biker will tap the top of his helmet when he passes another biker to warn him of police on the road? As Joel said, bikers look out for other bikers. It's a friendly little community, that.

We made one more stop in Wickenburg on the way home. Riding is thirsty business, I tell you. And then we rode off together into the sunset.

30-Day Co-Shredders

2011-02-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well my idea of a good evening tonight was going to be a bottle of my favorite Vanilla Porter while I watched The Biggest Loser. But when I picked up Ethan from school today, he bounced over to me and excitedly asked "Can we do 30-Day Shred tonight? I want to do Level 3!" I suppose drinking beer and watching other people sweat will have to wait until later...

I picked up this Jillian Michael's DVD awhile ago. It's a great little workout that's nice to squeeze in on days I can't fit in a good strength circuit at the gym. The kids were intrigued as soon as I brought it home, and they've been doing it with me ever since. They even have their own little set of tiny dumbbells and they get excited when they recognize Jillian on TV. ("That's the lady from our workout video!")

It never would have occured to me to have them do these workouts, but we've had a lot of fun doing them together! I've been getting a great workout, and I've had some great opportunities to teach the kids about good exercise form, endurance, and the importance of working hard to keep our bodies healthy.

I don't think this DVD is enough to be a sole source of exercise but it is a great addition to my our routine!

Daddy Daughter Dance

2011-02-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

Elliot had the greatest time at her Daddy-Daughter Dance this year!
She had gone to the father/daughter dance hosted by our previous church a few times before, and while she always had a nice time, in some ways I think it was sort of a let down. It was so large and overwhelming, and she never managed to find any other girls she knew. After a few dances, she usually asked to leave and just go have ice cream with daddy. And the dance was always on a weeknight, which meant I was rushing home from work to see her off and missed out on helping her get ready. (I think that's one of the most exciting parts!)

Not this year! This time, we enjoyed a whole afternoon of mommy-daughter pampering, before she slipped into her gorgeous dress. My mom made her dress, and I must say, I think this was my favorite one yet.

After she got all dolled up, we went over to meet up with her entire troop of girl scout friends. We have had such a positive experience with the Daisies this year, and I'm so thankful for the girls and the moms we've met through Troop 1460. These are some truly awesome little girls!

The young ladies posed for some pictures...

And then learned about a special surprise that was awaiting them...

A ride to the dance in a limo!! There was a lot of squealing and jumping when the big surprise was revealed.

Joel and Elliot danced the night away and both had a great time. Ethan and I enjoyed our traditional Mommy/Son date as well. We had Pita Pit for dinner (if you haven't been there yet, GO! They are delicious!) Xurro for dessert, and went to see Gnomeo and Juliet together. Such a special day with some special kids!!

My Kind of Snow Day

2011-02-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

My awesome parents and brother gave us the perfect Christmas present this year, which we finally had the opportunity to enjoy this past weekend. They sent Joel and I to the Purgatory Ski Resort in Durango, CO while they excitedly took our kiddos for a weekend of G-ma and G-pa fun.

Each time I go on a ski trip, I return even more addicted to that beautiful white powder! (Don't read that sentence out of context, eh!)

We left town on Thursday afternoon and made a pit stop in Flagstaff at the Lumberyard Brewing Co. for lunch. We love brewery food, and thanks to the great strides I've made in my learn-to-love-beer resolution, we both love beer too. About six hours later, we were sitting in the Steamworks Brewery in beautiful Durango.

Then we got settled into what we thought would be our hotel...it actually turned out to be more of a condo.

For the next two days, we just skied our little hearts out. The runs were wide open, and often we were one of only a handful of people on the slope. We never waited for a lift, the weather was perfect, and were able to cover miles and miles of terrain.

We had such a blast and we're already planning our next trip back. We're going to return with the kids in the summer to do some river rafting, ride the train, and hit the slide ride. Then hopefully we'll head back again in the winter to take the kids skiing with us! (I just love watching little kids ski. I watched this little 4-year old for awhile who was a total rock star on the mountain. I followed him for a bit to see if I could pick up some pointers. Hopefully our kids will take to it easier than I did!)

Thanks Mom, Dad, and Chad for the awesome gift!!

The Evolution of the Salad

2011-02-08T20:48:00.001-07:00

Do you remember what salads were like when you were a kid? It was always a pretty standard affair: iceberg lettuce, some tomatoes and cucumbers, maybe some diced carrots. Sometimes we went crazy and tossed in some radishes. Cheese? Maybe some shredded cheddar, if you were lucky. Protein? Well there were always those little ham cubes at the Sizzler salad bar. Dressing? You pretty much had three choices: ranch, thousand island, or italian. No wonder I didn't really get that excited about salads.

These days, it seems like 'anything goes' in a salad. Different varieties of greens, all imaginable veggies, lots of fruit, savory cheeses, smoky meats, toasted nuts, beans, avocados, and myriad dressings and salsas to toss them with... There are so many salad options now it would be hard to get bored!

My mother in law is an absolute salad artist. She makes the most delectable and interesting salads, and when I ask her what's in them, she usually just replies "a little of this, a little of that." I seriously think she makes it up as she goes along. I don't really have the creativity to do that. I need to follow a salad ingredient list.

We had this salad for dinner the other night and it was fabulous. All four of us chowed down, and then Joel and Elliot and I all packed the leftovers in our lunch the next day. I thought I'd share the mix in case you lack my salad creativity as well!

Tortellini Salad
package of tortellinis, cooked and cooled
spring mixed greens
dried cranberries
feta cheese
walnuts
cherry tomatoes
lightly tossed in balsamic vinaigrette

Do you have a favorite salad combo you love? Please share, because I'm always looking for new ideas!

The Year of the Beach

2011-01-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's what 2011 is. My little brother, baby Chad, moved into a sweet little bungalow in Ocean Beach a few months ago. And this past weekend, we finally had a chance to pay him the first of what will be many visits. We told him we wouldn't necessarily wear out our welcome, but we'd be toeing that line pretty darn close.

So if you step out his front door and look to your left, you'll see this:

The neighborhood is small and dotted with all kinds of bars and restaurants. When it's time to go grab a bite to eat, the kids chug along on their Razor scooters as their primary mode of transportation. And when Joel and Chad need to go out and do some sake bombers at night, they don't have far to walk home.

On Saturday, after our morning intake of biscuits and gravy and mimosas, we hung out here:

Then, I decided to get a run in. Note to self: biscuits and gravy and mimosas are not optimal fuel for a run. I was dreadfully miserable for the first mile, but I managed to run through the initial pain and enjoy a pleasant 4.2 miles of running here:

Seriously, I would just never get tired of that if I lived there.

On Sunday, after our morning intake of... oh nevermind...you don't even want to know what I went and ate on Sunday morning. Well, after that, we decided to head over to Sea World and pick up our Fun Card thingies. Those are the deals that let you go for the entire year for the price of one admission. We figure with a free place to stay and free admission for the rest of the year, we'll have no trouble popping over for the weekend whenever we get the urge. So we enjoyed some of this:

That's about as good as a weekend can get, folks. See you in a month or two OB!

How I Quit Pop Tarts and Donuts FOR GOOD!

2011-01-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

I had (note: HAD) a deep and abiding love for brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts and chocolate frosted donuts from the QT. But then I found out that apparently breakfast pastries purchased from gas stations aren’t good for the body. Seriously, it’s true. You can google it if you don't believe me.

I actually follow a mostly healthy diet, but those were two of my biggest weaknesses, and I decided those were incredibly crappy things to be splurging on. Now, I save my splurge calories for good things, like wine and Girl Scout cookies (which Elliot is proudly selling, by the way). I’m happy to report that I can’t even remember the last time I ate a Pop Tart, and I’m positively repulsed by the thought of a donut. You might not be tempted by Kwik E Mart food like I was, but if, by chance, there is one little temptation in your life you’d like to kick to the curb, this might help you too!

1. First and foremost, I’ve been picking more produce than a migrant farm worker. I always have a purse apple at the ready. Fruits and veggies are my constant snack companions now, to the point that I never actually get hungry enough to want junk.

2. I don’t let myself have ‘a little treat’ just once in awhile. That’s how I started down the long and dark donut alley. Cold turkey is the only way to go. There was a time when I might have had a donut with the changing of the seasons. Then I decided once a month would be okay. Before long, it was a weekly treat, and I was craving them fiercely.

3. Now those first two can be filed under the “Duh” category. But here’s the next step. You know how there are those days you wake up feeling yucky and nothing sounds good to eat? THAT is the day to go buy a donut. Make yourself eat it, just like Uncle Donald made Huey, Dewey, and Louie smoke all of those cigars. You will hate it, you’ll be miserable, and then the last memory you’ll have of that food will be bad.

Well, there you go. I’m going to eat an apple now.

Grumpus Maximus!

2011-01-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

Now, readers, I invite you to share a laugh at my race picture. Have you ever seen such a miserable looking creature? I can actually see my two deep frown lines above my sunglasses! I better learn to chill while I'm running or my wrinkles will be terrible.

Do I remind you of anyone?

So I guess I can add another item to my list of lessons learned: try to have a little bit of FUN! Maybe relax a bit and enjoy the day? Don't look like a constipated old crone that just choked on a lemon, perhaps?

Moving On

2011-01-17T20:51:00.001-07:00

Well, if you read my post from yesterday, you know I was a little bummed about my race performance. I didn't feel like I ran as well as I had in my training runs, and I was disappointed that I had missed my goal time.

But I'm moving on with a positive attitude and some lessons learned. The next race will be better! (And since I didn't do that great this time, that means it will be that much easier to improve next time, right? ;)

And I want to say a big THANKS to all of you who cheered me up and cheered me on. Your encouraging words really made me smile and see the race for the great accomplishment it was!

First, I learned the great importance of strength training. I've always believed in it, and had consistently practiced it up until I started ramping up my race training. But since strength training workouts usually left me sore for a couple of days, I started subbing weights for more runs. I didn't want to have to miss my long weekend runs because I was too sore. But I think now that extra strength training would have really helped my knees fare a lot better in miles 11-13. I have more time to commit to training before the next race, so no excuses for missing my strength workouts. (Any other suggestions for sore knees?)

Second, I learned a bit about race-day fueling. I wasn't sure what to eat, and I didn't want to upset my stomach, but I think I erred far too low in the calories department. I ended up feeling so hungry and depleted that I was actually nauseous.

Third, I learned that 13.1 miles is a hell of a lot harder than 10, and I'll need to be mentally prepared for the challenge. I only trained up to 10 miles and had only raced up to a 5K, so I was covering lots of new territory. At least now I'll know what to expect.

Finally, I learned that apparently, the porta potty lines are a lot shorter at 8 miles than they are at 3, so I should really try very hard to time that better. (Ideally, I'd like to do the whole thing without going to the bathroom... Is that even possible? You wouldn't think one kidney could produce so much!)

So I made myself a new countdown ticker to track the next race. (Joel and I had the very wise foresight of registering for the next race at the expo, before we had a chance to change our mind after running our first one. Joel, by the way, totally ROCKED his run! He ended up finishing about 20-25 minutes faster than he expected!) I think my turtle, crawling toward the beach is very fitting. It reminds me that the process and progress is very, very slow. :)

Race Day Reflections

2011-01-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

I was prepared for sore muscles. I was prepared for blisters. I was not prepared for the intensely emotional and bitterly crushing disappointment.

I had started the race with a number in my head...a time I was shooting for. It was, after all, just me against the clock. But I didn't reach it. Joel says I don't have to count the time I spent in line for my bathroom break, but the truth is, I didn't reach it, and it upset me a lot more than I was expecting. I did my best to put on a happy face at the finish line. But by the time I got home, the tears were flowing freely.

We filed through the corrals as patiently as we could. About 30 minutes after the official start it was finally our turn to get going.

I felt really good in the beginning. In fact, I felt pretty good for about the first 9 miles. After 10 miles, I officially wasn't having much fun anymore. At 11 miles, my knees were killing me. Each step hurt, until I got to the point were my legs were just a tingly numbness. But by then, I was so under-fueled and shaky. I didn't know what to eat for breakfast this morning, especially since I had pretty uncomfortable indigestion. But I clearly didn't have enough calories on-board.

It was a relief to finally cross the finish line, but to be honest, I'm not yet at a place where I can be happy about the race. I hope to get there, and maybe after a good night's sleep I will. I wish I could feel proud of my achievement, but in a way, I almost feel as though my weakness robbed me of any of the joy of accomplishment I had hoped I would have. I know it's depressing, but I'm just being honest here.

I had a milkshake for dinner and my mom gave me a lovely massage this afternoon. Both of those things definitely cheered me up. But I'm afraid it will be awhile before I'm happy about my run.

At one point during the race, the course passed by Banner Good Sam. It was, at least, encouraging for me to remember that after my kidney surgery just a little over a year ago, I was doing slow and painful laps around the nurses' station, clutching my IV pole and wincing with each step. At least today, I ran past the hospital with a smile on my face.

Swag Bag

2011-01-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to enjoy yet another perk of running: The Race Expo!

Joel and I visited the expo on our lunch break today, hoping to beat the crowd, but there were still tons of people there! It makes it hard to imagine just how busy it's going to be on Sunday morning. After we checked in and picked up our race numbers, we strolled through the convention center picking up all kinds of goodies and enjoying more free samples than a weekend visit to Costco!

At the end of the day, I left with two t-shirts, a pack of socks, a headband, some earbuds, pain gel, a backpack, gobs of energy bars, and a huge stack of coupons.

The Expo was very well-organized and staffed with lots of friendly volunteers. Seeing how well this event was run, I have no doubt that the race will be smooth sailing! Can't wait!!

Countdown to Race Day!

2011-01-10T20:59:00.001-07:00

So according to my little ticker on the right, I have less than 6 days before my half marathon debut this weekend. 6 DAYS!!

I'm starting to get a little nervous, but I'm mostly excited. I'm excited because I KNOW I can do this, and I know it will be fun too!

And I can't believe how far I've come in a relatively short amount of time! I didn't start to get really serious about my training until around Thanksgiving. Since then, I've run 101 miles. When I first ventured out on my training runs, away from the security of the treadmill, I had to have a way to carry my water. I always hike with my Camelbak, so I tried to strap it on for my runs. I remember how irritating it was jostling around, and how I couldn't figure out a convenient spot for my sippin' valve, and I was always getting tangled with my iPod wires. Now, my trusty pink Camelbak is a part of me. I don't even feel it when I'm running, but I feel naked without it. And I'm thankful that I trained with it, because now during the race, I'll have a convenient spot for my cell phone, GUs, camera, ipod, and my ID, which I will need to get my free beer. I suspect that beer will taste mighty delicious after 13.1 miles, even if it is a MGD 64.

I'm trying to focus myself mentally this week, and not let anything discourage me. I am a very slow runner, and it can be disheartening to read about other peoples' times. But that just shows me what I can work toward. This race is simply me vs. the voice inside my head. This race is the baseline that I will try to beat in San Diego (June 5 is still more than 4 months away! Who's with me?) This race won't break any records, but it will shatter the image I've had in my head for years...the image that I'm NOT a runner. This race will be a testament to how far I've come, and how much I've enjoyed the journey.

Wish me luck! I think I'm going to need it!

New Privileges for Mommy's Girl

2011-01-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, something will come flying out of Elliot's mouth, and we'll all be a little stunned for a moment at the miniature version of me that just said something eerily Chandy-like. She's definitely my girl, and I love seeing her develop many interests just like mine.

Lately, she's been asking if she can stay up for a bit after we tuck her in to read her chapter books by herself. We're not giving up family story time, but I can't blame her for wanting some quiet time to chill with a good book in bed! She's a girl after my own heart! I can never fall asleep without at least a few minutes of Nook time. (I used to read those old fashioned paper books. That was so 2010.)

So as of tonight, she's allowed to read for a bit on her own. Today Junie B. Jones... Tomorrow Harry Potter! I can't wait!

2011 Resolutions

2011-01-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

More people seem to hate on resolutions than actually make them... it used to be ironic to resolve not to make a resolution. Now it just seems like that's what everyone does. Well, I love making resolutions! And I'm not the least bit bothered if or when I fail. I guess that's why I enjoy making them!

Last year I resolved to read 50 books in one year. Technically, I failed. I only read 45. But, I just can't see how enjoying 45 books can be seen as a failure. Considering that 25% of American adults didn't read a single book last year, I'm pretty thrilled with 45!

So I say: Aim High! Even if I don't quite hit my goal, I will have done something!

This year's resolution shall be.... (drumroll please...)

I will aim to run and/or hike 1000 miles this year.

(This goal is pretty unrealistic, and 750 would be more reasonable. But I think 1000 sounds cooler. So I may be here this time next year, confessing my failure. It is entirely possible that I will only have ran and/or hiked 813 miles. But I still think that is pretty awesome!)

What is your goal for the new year?

2010 in Review

2011-01-01T13:31:00.001-07:00

The year came and went in a flash! I had to look back through some highlights of the year to remind myself of the many great times we enjoyed as a family, and how incredibly blessed I am to have such beautiful, healthy, and growing babies!

January: Lots of bike riding!

Feburary: Hiking in the beautiful weather

March: Crab Feast!

April: Rocky Point trip... hopefully not our last... :(

May: Ethan turned 4!

June: Elliot is the queen of the hula hoop

July: Escaping the heat in Flagstaff and San Diego

August: Disneyland, Sturgis, and the First Day of School (those three things don't usually go together...)

September: Harvesting with the Marmadukes, Daisy Troop 1460, and T-ball

October: Another quick visit to San Diego, anniversary trip to Zion, Halloween

November: Austin and Ashley's wedding

December: Merry Christmas!

Rockin' New Year's Eve

2011-01-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

When we woke up on the morning of New Year's Eve, we had precisely nothing planned. Well, in my mind, I had hoped that some sort of breakfast involving chorizo would soon happen, but the plans didn't really extend beyond that. But as we were getting ready to grab some breakfast, we decided it might be a good idea to drive up north and play in the snow.

We tried on the kids jackets from last year, and when several inches of arms were hanging below their sleeves, we realized that they'd need new jackets before any snow play. I also figured that as long as we were heading up north, I'd drop off some old clothes for my cousin Jenna to have for her kids. (She lives in Chino Valley, near Prescott.) So Joel ran to the store to buy jackets, I ran home to organize for our spontaneous road trip, and I sent Jenna a message to see if she'd be around for a delivery.

In a few short minutes, we had a snow play date arranged! Elliot and Ethan had a great time playing with Taylor and Colin. Joel and Flint took turns snowboarding down our little hill. And the very pregnant Jenna was quite the trooper standing out in the cold snow!

After playing in the snow for a bit, we warmed up over a late lunch at Red Robin, and then went back to Flint and Jenna's for a game night. The kids played until hours past their bedtime, and then snuggled up on the couch for a movie. We've decided that this will have to be a much more regular occurance!

We finally loaded up to head home around 11:30, and the thermometer in the truck read -2 degrees! I think that is the coldest weather I've ever experienced!

It was a pretty rockin' New Year's Eve!

Christmas Highlights

2011-01-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

The morning began when we heard Elliot and Ethan whispering downstairs. They were reading the note that Santa had left for them, and getting very excited! Here they are looking adorable in their new Christmas jammies...

Elliot was thrilled to get a beautiful new American Girl Doll that she named Isabella. My dad made her the cutest little armoire, and my mom filled it with a new wardrobe of amazing handmade clothes.

Ethan loved his air hockey table... a few fights may have ensued, but what's a hockey game without a fight?

My parents and brother surprised Joel and I with a ski trip! We are so incredibly excited! We've decided to wait to go until after the race in a couple of weeks. Now is not the time for injuries! But the award for the most creative wrapping job definitely goes to my brother. He placed our gift certificate inside this innocuous looking box.

The box was filled with an inflated balloon and then covered with "snow". He had rigged some string through a series of pvc pipes, taped one end of the string to the lid of the box, and then taped a sharp toothpick to the other end of the string. When we pulled the lid off, the string pulled through the pipe and the toothpick popped the balloon. We were then showered with an explosion of snow... perfect for a ski present!

The, uh, 'kids' got these little things called plasma cars...

Then the 'adults' got a hold of them. They were too fun! We chased each other all over the house in them...

There might have been some drinking and driving...

But at least we were carpooling as well.

We really had a great day. The kids played with new toys, we played lots of cards and board games, we ate queso and cookies all day long... Perfect... What could be better?

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go…

2010-12-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday night’s peaceful silence was punctuated by the seal-like barking of Ethan’s croup cough. Whenever one of the kids is sick, Joel and I review our schedules and do a sort of negotiation. “I have a deadline.”
“I have a conference call at 9, but I can call in from home.”
“I’ve got more PTO.”
“Well, I’m not too busy, you go ahead and I’ll stay home.”

It’s always a bit of a juggle to determine who will be on sick duty and who will go to work. But Monday’s negotiations determined I would stay home with the kids. Luckily, I can get a lot of my work done from my computer at home, and when the kids are sick they tend to just watch TV all day anyway. (Judge if you want…I’m okay with lots of TV on sick days!)

Well, wouldn’t you know it, but by about 9:00 Ethan had made practically a complete recovery. So the kids played happily together for most of the day, and I got quite a lot of work done from home. By about 1:30, though, I decided that I would have to go into the office for a little bit and then drop off a submittal package to ADEQ. I gathered the kids, put some shoes on their bare feet, washed their faces (okay, I actually forgot to do this…) and we took a field trip to Mommy’s office.

They behaved like perfect little angels! Elliot sat in my cube and drew some pictures and even labeled one of them “for pipes”. No one I know actually knows what I do for a living, least of all my kids. But they do know it has something to do with pipes. I think her design looks pretty good!

I had reminded both of them that they would have to talk in whispers so as not to disturb anyone. When we were settled in at my desk, a certain person who sits near me and speaks VERY loudly ALL day long got on the phone. Ethan tapped my arm and said “Mommy, that boy isn't using his whispering voice.” Tell me about it, son. Tell me about it…

My little future engineers (NOT!!!) then accompanied me on our submittal errand. Since they were so good, I decided to reward a job well done with some hot fudge sundaes from McDonald’s. Every worker earns his wage!

Running Firsts!

2010-12-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon's training run was awesome! I really think the biggest surprise I've encountered during my training has been discovering that I actually enjoy this! A long weekend run is about a billion times more fun than a short midweek treadmill run. I LOVE the sun, fresh air, wildlife, trees, and friendly fellow trail users that round out my weekend runs. And on this last run, I accomlished several 'firsts', making me feel like I've really arrived as a runner.

First time cracking the double-digit mileage barrier! My run on Sunday was 10 miles on the Reach 11 trail (my new favorite running spot). At the end of my run, Paula Radcliffe made a guest appearance on my Nike+ to congratulate me in her British accent.
First time eating GU. Around mile 7.5 I refueled with a vanilla bean flavored pouch of, well, goo. My running friend had recommended that flavor because it tasted like cake frosting, and she was right! It definitely seemed to help, too, because at the end of this run, I felt like I could have kept going. (A week before I had only run 9 miles and was exhausted afterwards.)
First time squatting trailside to pee. I won't give you too many details on this one. But if one is out running for more than an hour while continually rehydrating from their Camelbak, one may be quite thankful indeed that the trail is well vegetated with large, lush trees.

Next weekend: 12 MILES!!

Chocolate Fountain FAIL

2010-12-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a holiday mixer for a professional association I'm involved with, the local chapter of APWA (that's the American Public Works Association...ain't no party like an engineering party...'cause an engineer party don't...er...doesn't...uh...stop...or something like that. Engineers Rock.)

Well, there were door prizes, and can you believe it? I won one of them! My ticket was drawn for the chocolate fountain. (I hope I don't get a bunch of crazies coming out of the woodwork now, claiming to be related to me and trying to get a piece of my good fortune. You know how these things go...)

I brought said chocolate fountain home and, in the eyes of my children, was immediately transformed into the coolest person on the planet. Even cooler than iCarly and Heinz Doofenshmirtz. After considerable begging, pleading, and offering of very pretty pleases with cherries on top, we commenced to melting chocolate.

I must admit, I too was excited to unleash the flow of delicious, melty goodness. The chocolate would flow like wine. Beautiful women would instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. It was going to be grand.

So how did it go? Perhaps I'll just let the picture speak for itself.

Well, it may have resembled a sludgy tar pit more than a scrumptious fountain. But the kids still claimed it was "the best night EVER!" It's hard to be too disappointed in chocolate...even if it doesn't quite turn out the way you'd hoped!

A Spontaneous Disney Adventure!

2010-12-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

It may seem out of character for two engineers, but Joel and I are actually pretty spontaneous people. Now, we don't go around doing crazy things everyday. We do have jobs and kids to take care of. But every now and then, we'll get a wild idea and act on it. On Wednesday morning, he called me at work for our usual morning chat. (I think that's how our crazy half marathon idea started as well...It would seem our scheming tends to take place when we're bored at work.) He mentioned how much he enjoys the Christmas decorations at Disneyland. I agreed wholeheartedly, and told him I had just been discussing that very same topic with a friend earlier that morning. We reminisced about all of the amazing lights, decorations, music, and food, and then lamented our current locales, with their uninspiring fluorescent lights and beige cubicle walls. So I said, "we should totally go... if we left after work, we could be there by 11:30." And Joel told me to book us a room. And that was that!

Now you might think we are completely wicked, but we made this trip without the kids. And it was awesome! I love sharing the magic of Disneyland with my kids, but this trip without them was an absolute blast. We had no strollers to push, we didn't ride Dumbo at all, we enjoyed terrific shows, we walked at our own pace... it was purely fantastic (and a heck of a lot cheaper without them!) Around dinner time, little kids all around us were getting fussy and tired, crying and carrying on. Joel and I just looked at each other and smiled. They weren't our tired kiddos, and we were free to continue enjoying ourselves until closing time!

After the park closed, we climbed in the car and drove home! We took turns driving and made it home in a mere 5.5 hours.

We had such a great time, and I think the spontaneity of the trip made it even more exciting. We literally decided to go at 10:45 on Wednesday morning, and we were on the road by 6:00 that evening. Who knows when the next adventure will take place?

The Main Street Christmas tree, by day and by night

Delicious treats! The delicacy in the top picture is a Yule Log from Plaza Inn. The second picture is the famous Monte Cristo sandwich from Cafe Orleans. It's like a sandwich wrapped in a donut. YUM!

The lighting of the castle, with snow falling on Main Street!

2010: The Year in Books

2010-12-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of 2010, I set the lofty goal of reading 50 books in one year. I’m standing at 42 books right now, with a little over three and a half weeks to go, so it looks like I just might be able to make it!

As the year winds down, I’ve been reflecting on my reading this year. And so I shall highlight the literary highs and lows of 2010.

The Best Book I Read This Year:

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

This book was un-put-downable. It was so good, in fact, that it just warranted the creation of a stupid new word: un-put-downable. Verghese created fascinating characters, set them in an intriguing and exotic country, tangled them in captivating relationships, and threw in some history, politics, romance, and medicine, just to make things a bit more interesting. Fantastic!

Funniest Book:

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

You wouldn’t expect a Pulitzer Prize-winning classic with a villain as treacherous as Blue Duck, a setting as unforgiving as a cross-country cattle drive, and a hero as tragic as Captain McCrae to be my pick in the comedy category. But there you go. The dialog alone often brought me to tearful giggles. (This is not a strictly ‘funny’ novel though… McMurtry skillfully guides his readers through sour jealousy, bone-aching cold, blinding dust, stinging embarrassment, hollow hunger, and deep, deep love. It is a long journey, but every minute is a pleasure.)

Saddest Book:
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
I highlighted this book briefly before, but this one was definitely one of the most heart-wrenching reads of the year.

Most Interesting Non-Fiction:
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
I don’t read much non-fiction, but this one really captured my attention. As I’ve been training for the half-marathon, I found these stories of ultra-runners to be very absorbing. As McDougall investigated the astounding endurance of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, who regularly run hundreds of miles at a time in their homemade sandals, he introduced us to a cast of other elite runners. It was inspiring, educational, and entertaining. I’m not going to take up barefoot running, but I will certainly be focusing on my form!

Worst Book of 2010:
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
It wasn’t easy choosing a selection for this dubious honor. Unfortunately, there were several contenders. March, Twilight, and Olive Kitteridge were all disappointing. But Sworn to Silence is the clear winner here. Why on earth this book has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon is beyond me...

Honorable Mentions:
I didn’t get a chance to review all of the books I read this year, but I really enjoyed Leota’s Garden, The Hunger Games series, Shutter Island, The Irresistible Henry House, I Capture the Castle, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and These Is My Words.

I wonder what I should read next year? I’m actually thinking about cutting waaaay back. We’ll see how that goes. I might have better luck quitting chocolate!

Jackie and Chandy: We Do Wedding Cakes!

2010-12-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was our big debut as official Special Occasion Confectioners, or makers of wedding cakes, if you will.

If there is one thing we are reminded of each time we make a cake, it is the importance of patience. It is a painstaking, precise, and deliberate process, and there is simply nothing that can be done to rush things. Skipping one step, bending one rule, or hastening even one element will result in a shoddy product that will, at best, look terrible, and at worst, collapse into a slumping heap of cake and frosting.

The actual baking was done well in advance, and my mom's freezer was brimming with ten wrapped cakes, ready to be assembled. We started with the bottom layer, which was actually constructed from four half circles. When stacking tiered cakes, it is so important for each piece to be square and level. Each side had to be a perfect 90 degrees, and the top had to be completely flat and level.

Once the general shape of each tier is set, the frosting can be smoothed to get that fondant sheen. After the frosting is set and dry, we smoothed it by lightly pressing strips of Viva brand paper towels. (I overheard about six different wedding guests remark how nice the fondant looked on the cake. But this was just covered with basic frosting!)

We placed the bottom layer on our custom cake plate. (It is a serious pet peeve of mine to see a gorgeous cake that has just been plopped onto a piece of plywood covered in aluminum foil. Just look at the cake featured in this post. The cake is gorgeous, but the plate really falls short.) After each layer is completed, we entered the assembly stage! This is where it started to get fun! We used cardboard circles and a caliper-type ruler to trace the circle in the exact center.

Next, we cut plastic dowels and inserted them into the cake to support the next layer. We really decided to be extra cautious and use a lot of dowels. These cakes get very heavy, and you can't have too much support.

Once the cake was assembled, we added the final embellishments. The bride requested a sage green ribbon trim, and we added a fondant pearl border around each tier. I think this really added some nice texture to an otherwise very simple cake. A couple of weeks before the wedding, my mom applied a coat of Scotch guard to the ribbons. This gave the ribbon adequate time to dry, so no chemical taste would transfer to the frosting, but prevented the greasy frosting from bleeding through the ribbon.

The final, and perhaps most difficult step, was transporting the cake to the wedding venue. We folded down the backseat of my parents' SUV, and placed the cake on top of a large foam pad covered in a white sheet. (The foam absorbed a lot of the impact and the sheet prevented any dust, fuzz or hair in the car from settling on our frosting.) It was an emotionally draining experience bracing the cake back there. We felt every single bump and turn in the road, and it seemed like the cake wiggled like Jell-o for the entire trip. But, it made it there in one piece!

My mom and I had a great time making the cake, and most importantly, I think the bride and groom were very pleased with the result.

On an unrelated side note, our crew cleaned up pretty nice! We don't get dressed up too often, but at least we haven't completely forgotten how!

Don't Sugarcoat it or Anything...

2010-11-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

I didn’t think I would be so pleased to have a complete stranger blatantly point out my glaring shortcomings, but in this situation, honesty really was the best policy. This weekend, my family celebrated the wedding of my dear cousin. (Stay tuned for a wedding cake post!) Since I wanted to look snazzy, I went over to the nail salon on Saturday morning to get my toes and fingers pampered. If you can’t wear shiny red nail polish to a holiday wedding, then when can you wear it, for cryin’ out loud?

As I’m sitting in the chair getting my nails polished, the lady looks at me and says: “Your brows look really bad. Much too thick. Makes them look too short. I will fix them for you. They look very bad. Trust me.”

Whoa, there! I didn’t sign up for a brow wax today! In fact, that is a service that I have never been interested in! I do not have a unibrow, so the idea of ripping hairs off of my face with hot wax has never been appealing. Not to mention, I didn’t want to keep adding expenses on to my ever-growing salon tab. (I think they tend to up-sell me pretty heavily at the nail salon. Since I can’t always understand what they are saying, I just smile and politely nod.) But she was so intent on telling me how bad I looked, that I finally relented. She promised it would only cost $10 and a few minutes. “Trust me” she said. “I take care of you. You look better when I finish.”

Well, let me tell you…she was so right! Why had I not had a single friend or loved one come forward to tell me how badly my brows were in need of shaping? What about all of this “sharing the truth in love” business we hear about in church? I hope dear ones, that none of you would let me obliviously walk around with a giant booger dangling from my nose. As much as I was taken aback by the nail tech’s forthrightness, in the end I was relieved by her candor and glad to have an opportunity to rectify a long-overdue beauty oversight.

I tipped her well.

Beer Time!

2010-11-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

I’ve been pleased to get to know a very sweet mom of one of Elliot’s friends over the last couple of months. Not only has she been motivating me in my running, but last weekend she provided some much appreciated help on another important goal of mine. We were chatting, and I happened to mention in passing that I was trying to acquire and develop a taste and appreciation for beer. As luck would have it, her husband works for a Montana-based brewery, and she graciously offered to give me some samples to try.

I am a huge wine lover, but there are so many situations when I would like to have a good drink, but it just isn’t practical or possible to enjoy wine. Have you tasted some of the swill that passes for wine in many restaurants? And Joel is a great lover of beer, especially microbrews. Microbreweries almost always serve terrific food, and it’s a shame to order third-rate wine when I ought to be enjoying an excellent beer.

So I’ve spent the last several evenings sampling some different types of beers as I try to appreciate the complex and unique flavors.

I enjoyed the Trout Slayer Ale, the Scape Goat Pale Ale, and the Big Sky IPA. I especially enjoyed the Summer Honey Seasonal Ale. That one was delicious, and was definitely my favorite! Of all of the varieties I sampled, only the dark brown ale didn’t quite suit my taste. It had a bit of coffee flavor to it, and since I’m not a coffee lover, I didn’t care for that beer. But since I’m the only grown-up in the universe that isn’t mainlining Starbucks, I imagine most people would think it was delicious!

My beer adventures paid off on our recent Zion trip, when I tried Joel’s Polygamy Porter and loved it. I never would have dreamed of drinking a porter before, but with a name like that, I couldn’t pass it up!

I’m always looking to expand my beer horizons. Do you have any suggestions of beers to try for a relatively inexperience beer drinker?

Why I Run

2010-11-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I've been having a heck of a great time lately as I've stepped up my training for my upcoming half marathon. The race is just around the corner, and I'm in serious training mode now. One thing that I think a majority of distance runners would agree with is the fact that endurance is not only physical, but mental as well. In fact, I often think the mental component is even bigger than the physical one. Running is hard, and my brain is naturally wired to avoid hard things, right? So not only do I have to overcome the limits of my lungs and my legs, but I have to give my brain a serious beatdown as well. Often, while I'm out running, I'll repeat these mantras in my head, to remind myself of why I'm out there. These little reminders keep me going when my brain says I should be sitting on the couch, drinking wine and polishing off a handful of Halloween candy. I will probably add to this list in the coming weeks, as my runs get longer and more mentally daunting!

The biological ages of runners are at least 10 years younger than their chronological ones.

Running increases bone density.

If it was easy, everyone would do it, and nobody would worry about pesky little things like obesity, type II diabetes, and hypertension.

My legs are long and strong and they love to run.

Running slows age-related muscle loss.

What causes my metabolism to slow: less lean body mass (not enough strength training) and less activity (not enough mileage)

Running reduces stress, depression, anger, and fatigue.

More running=looser pants

Running burns more calories than all other forms of cardiovascular exercise (except cross-country skiing, which is rather difficult to do in Phoenix).

I love to log my mileage into Dailymile, read the encouraging messages from fellow runners, and be encouraged by reading about their runs!

Running lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol, makes arteries more elastic, and decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

I want my kids to grow up watching me run, and running along beside me. (For now, they enjoy riding their bikes while I run with them!)

Running lets me enjoy some of my favorite things, guilt-free! (Wine, fine chocolate, good cheese, fresh bread, chorizo breakfast burritos from Carolina's...)

Running releases endorphins!

Running fosters an awesome sense of accomplishment.

Running boosts the immune system by increasing the concentration of disease-attacking white blood cells.

Running lets me enjoy the beautiful weather and fresh air.

Running challenges me in a way that nothing else in my life does.

My body never feels better than it does right after a good run… (well, almost never…;)

It's never too hard to come up with a reason to be a couch potato. But with a list like this, there are so many more reasons to be a RUNNER!

Can you think of any other great benefits to running? I'm sure I left some out! Do you have any tips to increase motivation and overcome mental hurdles? Wanna go for a run?

Sonoran Preserve Trail in North Phoenix

2010-11-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

I know many of my friends enjoy hiking and running, so I wanted to share a great little trail that you might not know about yet. The Sonoran Preserve Trail was just recently completed in the spring of this year.

At the north end, there is a mostly flat one mile connector trail to Sonoran Parkway. On the south end, the other connector leads to a trailhead with a nice large parking area. (The trailhead can be a little tricky to find. See the zoomed in map below.)

Joel and I have both enjoyed running this trail as we train for our upcoming half marathon. I start at the trailhead and do the 4.6-mile loop. Joel's a bit farther ahead in his training, so he just starts from our house and runs to the connector trail on the north end to get to the loop. The trail has some pretty good inclines, but as you can see from the contours, much of the trail is gradually sloped and perfect for running. We also see a few mountain bikers enjoying the trail. (Note: I've seen a significant uptick in javalina and coyote activity in the area lately. Be aware of your surroundings on the trail, and take extra caution at dusk!)

I really enjoy the scenery on the trail. There is an abundance of cholla scattered on the slopes, and the trail meanders through lots of sandy desert washes. One of the deeper washbeds is home to an old Ford Explorer that was left behind to rust and rot in the sun.

If you live in the north valley, be sure to take advantage of this little treasure of a trail! And if you're ever looking for a hiking or running buddy, leave me a comment or send me an e-mail!

Book Review: The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers

2010-11-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m on a hiatus from hoity-toity literature. I’m only reading for the fun of it right now. But as I read The Scarlet Thread, I was quickly reminded that reading for the simple pleasures inside printed pages does not mean surrendering storytelling excellence.

(My bookclub comrades will undoubtedly notice that this selection breaks my cardinal rule of not reading books on which the name of the author is printed in larger type than the title. The only defense I can offer is that sometimes, even the best rules might need to be broken. For now, I'll have to say it's more of a 'guideline'.)

I became an instant admirer of Francine Rivers when I read Redeeming Love. After I finished that book, I quickly devoured the heart-twisting tale again, and then passed the book along to family members to enjoy. Her Mark of the Lion series was even more engrossing, and I relished each of those three books immensely. When I find an author I enjoy, I typically read everything that particular writer has to offer. So I’m surprised that I never continued reading her other books.

I purchased three Francine Rivers paperbacks to kick-off my Reading is Fun Again campaign. And despite crying rivers of tears in a very public airport bar, I couldn’t put the first one down!

The Scarlet Thread weaves together two parallel stories. The first story follows the tribulations of a modern woman whose life is dropped into a blender and set to puree. She loses her parents, moves away from her hometown, and her marriage is crumbling. But we get to watch her walk this treacherous path and eventually rest in the comfort of God. Meanwhile, we also peek into the diary of her ancestor, a pioneer wife on the Oregon Trail, who wrestles with God on her journey through marriages, childbirth, death, and the wilderness of her expedition.

Each story is very engaging, and I found myself very invested in the characters. And while Rivers is known for writing a story with a happy ending, it isn’t necessarily a tranquil path with unrealistic assumptions and pat answers. We see God’s miraculous hand working in the lives of the characters, but it is often in such a common way that we can see how His hand might likewise be touching our lives. I love that!

I offer my enthusiastic recommendation for The Scarlet Thread. It is an enjoyable and charming story that did just what I needed it to do. It made reading fun again.

I Do Hereby Declare: Reading Shall Be Fun Again!

2010-11-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone has hobbies. Mine include going to wine tastings, licking the bowl when I make brownies, hiking, blowing raspberries on my kids’ tummies, and reading. And while most of those continue to leave me feeling joyful, rejuvenated, and fulfilled, reading has really been a drag lately! What used to be a source of pleasure, education, escapism, or encouragement has been a wearisome chore.

In the past couple of months I’ve suffered through the likes of:

Olive Kitteridge, a story in which 13 unrelated people tell brief stories in which a grouchy old woman plays a role of varying significance. This would be like my mother, my second grade teacher, the cashier at the WalMart where I grocery shop, Joel, my dental hygienist, and one of my coworkers telling boring stories about their lives, in which I randomly appear at occasional intervals. The nap is free with purchase of the book, but the pillow is not included.

The Monster of Florence, the true story of the investigation of a serial killer in Florence, Italy. I never did finish it, so I’m not sure how it ended. I think this could make an interesting novel, but the book read like a really, really, REALLY long Newsweek article in which every player has a similar-sounding Italian name. On the upside, I learned a valuable lesson: don’t try to get it on in a parked car in the Florentine countryside.

Oliver Twist is a classic, I’m sure. I bet I would have really grown as a reader and appreciated the genius of Dickens had I got past the first chapter. But I just can’t take that stress in my life right now. I have a full-time job, two kids, and a house to maintain. And I already earned my Honors English credits at UofA to prove that I no longer have to work that hard on a book if I don’t want to.

Freedom, the crazy-popular book that everyone is talking about right now. I’ve even heard it referred to as “The Great American Novel”. Maybe the second half of the book was better than the first half. I didn’t stick with it to find out. I decided if there were 283 people waiting for this book at the library, I wasn’t going to stand in their way of reading it for another moment. I’m sure there are a lot of symbols in the book…allegories for the hollowness of life in America, or some such nonsense. From what I could gather, it was the story of an unhappy woman, and a few pointless things she tried to do to be a little happier. I don’t mind a good character study, but I prefer to have a character I can either identify with or root for on her quest for growth. Not surprisingly, though, when a person lives her life with herself as the focus, instead of God, she is unhappy and unfulfilled.

Well I’ve had enough! There was a time when I’d stay up hours past my bedtime, because I couldn’t stand to put a book down! I would be so engrossed in the lives of the characters that I would spend days in a lonely state of depression, mourning the companions I had lost when I turned the final page. I relished page after page of the voluminous Outlander series and am eagerly awaiting the eighth installment of the series. I still remember sitting on the couch at 3 in the morning, weeping for the fallen Dumbledore! When was the last time I’ve sat in bed, either giggling or sobbing because a book has drilled into my emotions? It’s been too long since I’ve called my mom in the morning and practically screamed into the phone “You HAVE to read this!”

So I’m taking a stand. For the remainder of the year, and perhaps longer…for as long as I feel like it, darn it… I shall only read books for the pure, untainted, ever-lovin’ fun of it. Yes, I’m sorry my dear book club friends, but that means I will not be reading November’s selection. It just doesn’t look that fun. (I won't let that stop me from coming to our meeting though!) Besides, I’ll be too engrossed catching up on the complete works of Francine Rivers, a favorite and long-forgotten author. It’s been years since I’ve enjoyed one of her books, but she is an author that can really touch my heart. Her books might not be hoity-toity, Pulitzer Prize winning, NYT best-selling tomes that set the literary community abuzz. But they are FUN.

Check back soon for a review, and if you have a suggestion for a GREAT book, then please…. I’m begging you! Tell me about it!

Zion National Park

2010-10-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

Joel and I celebrated eight amazing years of marriage this month, and to commemorate the occasion, we spent a few days in Zion National Park. Nothing like an outdoor adventure to celebrate the everyday adventure that is life in the McCarty family!

Zion National Park was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and I can’t believe I hadn’t visited sooner! What a waste that we live a mere six hours away from a remarkable national treasure and I didn’t even realize it before this trip. I don’t think that’s unusual though. I’ve talked to so many people who have lived in Arizona for years and haven’t even seen the Grand Canyon! It really is a shame. People travel from across the earth to see these National Parks. We are lucky enough to have them so close. I feel it is practically mandatory to enjoy them!

(Side note: I am so impressed and thankful for the planning, foresight, and tremendous investment by our government that went into developing our National Park Service. At the time some of these parks were preserved, they were in such remote and unheard of locations that it would have been nearly impossible to predict the potential growth and demand for land. The NPS provides the infrastructure, maintenance, and education that transform these natural treasures into destinations. But they also promote the conservation and preservation that will allow future generations to enjoy them. Can you even imagine if the NPS hadn’t been created? There would be private luxury homes lining the rim of the Grand Canyon!)

We arrived in the park around noon, and were eager to get started on our first hike.

Angel’s Landing is reached by hiking up more than two miles of steep rock faces, narrow canyons, and nearly vertical switchbacks. At the top of the final set of switchbacks, Walter’s Wiggles, is the beautiful Scouts Overlook. Many people choose to stop here, because the last mile is rather daunting. The trail clings to the edge of a massive cliff, with some chains mercifully provided for both mental and physical assistance.

In some areas, the trail is only 3-4’ wide, with 1200’ cliffs on either side. It was a very intense hike, and unlike anything we had ever done before! While parts of it were quite scary, I’m glad I did it. (Here’s a chilling observation: If you start typing ‘Angel’s Landing’ in Google, one of the first suggestions that pops up is ‘Angel’s Landing Deaths’. Scary!)

The next day, we tackled the Observation Point trail. This grueling climb was over 8 miles round trip and gained more than 2250’ in elevation. While it wasn’t quite as exhilarating as Angel’s Landing, it was much more challenging, and there was plenty of exquisite scenery to enjoy.

The trail provides some of the most spectacular views of the park, and really made me appreciate the artistry of our Creator. I find it irritating and baffling that people are willing to consider that this place is a result of sand, water, and hundreds of millions of years. But they willfully deny the creation of God that is so lovingly displayed before them.

Even though we were pretty tired after the Observation Point trail, we decided to get one more trail in before we quit for the day. We hiked for a couple of miles to the Emerald Pools. A gorgeous waterfall pours out of a cleft in the cliff, and cascades down to three different pools. It almost seemed tropical under the cool spray of the water!

There were plenty of trails we didn’t have time to hike, so we’re definitely going to have to return someday. Next time, I think we’ll bring the kids along and outfit the family in some water gear to follow the Virgin River up into the Narrows!

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

Let the earth and all living things join in.

Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!

Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord.

Psalms 98:7-9

Daisy Sugar Cookies

2010-10-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, our Daisy troop leader e-mailed the parents asking if anyone had any special talents they would be willing to share with the girls. I was feeling bad that I didn’t have any talents, so I felt like I’d better make something up. I blurted out the fact that I sometimes decorate cakes and could bring some treats to share. (I like to go out of my way to find opportunities to complicate my life! It’s what makes me my mother’s daughter!)

I like making things for kids, because they are easily impressed. So I thought this would be a good chance to attempt decorating sugar cookies. I’ve made sugar cookies at Christmas with piped buttercream frosting, but I wanted to try a new technique. I used royal icing to create a smooth finish on the entire surface of the cookie, following the general method outlined on this darling blog I found: Bake at 350. (I also used her recipe for sugar cookies, and they were very delicious! Sweet and flaky, but not too dry and crumbly…they also baked up nicely and were easy to work with.)

For Elliot's troop, I just made a nice simple flower-shaped cookie. They definitely got easier with practice...I thought the ones I made first were quite a bit uglier than the ones I made last. I think I learned a lot just by practicing this technique for the first time. And it was much, much easier and far less time consuming than cake decorating! I'm definitely looking forward to making lots of cute cookies in the future!

And the best part is, the Daisies all loved their Daisy Cookies!

Quiet Your Mind

2010-09-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

I've listened to this song about a million times today, and I still can't get enough of it. And since it seems like a most appropriate birthday song, I'm sharing it today, while it is still technically my birthday for 50 more minutes.

Quiet Your Mind is just one of many spectacular songs from Zac Brown Band's newest album You Get What You Give. I hope to do a more thorough review of their new album soon, but I can't stop listening to it long enough to actually write anything. We also had the pleasure of seeing them live last weekend, and it was one of the best concerts I've attended.

For now, I hope you'll take a quick listen to my one of my favorite bands.

I hear the waves

Sun beatin' down on my shoulders
It's a near-perfect day
Wishin' I wouldn't get any older
They say that it's gone 'fore you know it now

Quiet your mind
Soak it all in
It's a game you can't win
Enjoy the ride

I feel the change
Goin' on all around me
It's strange
How I'm taken and guided
Where I end up right I'm needed to be

Quiet your mind
Soak it all in
It's a game you can't win
Enjoy the ride

At the end of the water
A red sun is risin'
And the stars are all goin' away
And if you're too busy talkin'
You're not busy listenin'
To hear what the land has to say

Quiet your mind
I hear the waves
Sun beatin' down on my shoulders
It's a near-perfect day
Wishin' I wouldn't get any older
They say that it's gone 'fore you know it and

Soak it all in
It's a game you can't win
Enjoy the ride

Little Miss Daisy

2010-09-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Elliot has officially joined the Girl Scouts and is now a proud Daisy. And to make it even more fun, I am an official parent helper! (Not a troop leader yet...perhaps I'll be ready for that next year. This year I'm just helping out wherever I can and learning the ropes.)

She loves her meetings, and especially loves spending the afternoon with 17 other adorable little girls. They are all very sweet, and they all seem to get along very well together. (That's quite a feat for a room full of girls to achieve!)

I'm also quite lucky that one of our troop leaders is also a professional photographer. She took some great shots of their first meeting. (Goodness knows I couldn't take a decent picture under fluorescent classroom lights to save my life!)

On my honor, I will try:

To serve God and my country

To help people at all times

And to live by the Girl Scout Law

Simple Fondant Cake Borders Using Silicone Molds

2010-09-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Truly, fondant is disgusting. It is completely inedible, in my opinion... the equivalent of spreading chewing gum across the surface of a cake. But, I have to admit that it looks beautiful and is so very, very easy to work with. Of course you can get buttercream to be glass-smooth, but it takes time, energy and skill. But I think it would be nearly impossible to get a piped buttercream border as crisp, clean, and perfect as fondant. The fact that a fondant border can be easily formed and placed in a matter of minutes? Well...that's just icing on the cake!

My mom and I are doing our first official wedding cake in November, so we recently did a trial run. We decided we could both use the practice, and we wanted to give the bride plenty of time to back out and find another alternative! To make a simple and elegant white border, we used a silicone mold with fondant. The mold we used was made by First Impressions , but there are lots to choose from online.

First, prepare your work environment carefully. Your counter or table has to be meticulously spotless, without the slightest trace of cake crumbs, lint, or dust. It is even best to change into a white t-shirt. Otherwise, little bits of fuzz will find a way to stick to the fondant.

Next, take a glob of fondant, shape it into an oblong piece, and start to work it into the mold. Press very firmly, working it in from all angles.

Then take a sharp kitchen knife and trim the excess flush with the top of the mold. Be careful not to press too firmly, or you may nick the mold.

Finally, squeeze the border out like you would release ice cubes from an ice cube tray. The border should release neatly, and is ready to place on the cake.

This is a miniature version of the cake requested by the bride. We just threw some flowers on for scale, but the border looks lovely. At serving time, it will be easy to remove the border to enjoy the buttercream frosted cake. Easy and pretty!

Our Day at the 'Farm'

2010-09-20T21:02:00.004-07:00

We received an invitation from some great friends of ours to visit their parents' house up in the Verde Valley. They have an enormous garden and were kind enough to share some of their harvest with us. We gladly drove up north and enjoyed a fabulous day with great food, the nicest people, and, seriously, one of the coolest gardens ever. (Like this garden on its worst day would look at my garden on its best day and say, "well bless your heart...aren't you just precious?") You can see the kids running through the rows of one half of the garden here...

After lunch, the kids went out front to feed the chickens and visit the turkeys and ducks. We even got to take home a dozen eggs! I have never in my whole entire life eaten an egg that was not purchased from the grocery store, and I can't wait to try them!

Our friend's dad then hooked his trailer up to the quad and towed the kids all over the property. They all squealed like it was the best ride at the fair. (We would need the trailer later to haul away all of the produce!)

We had some veggie-picking help from the kids, but they soon found more interesting things to do (play with the dogs and various fowl, have a water gun fight, run in circles in the grass, shoot a bow and arrow....good times!)

We all worked hard picking cantaloupes, pumpkins, all kinds of peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, squash, tomatillos, onion, pumpkins, and some more pumpkins! Did I mention I got some pumpkins? I've got my work cut out for me in the next few weeks to roast these beauties, so feel free to share your good pumpkin recipes!

Black Corinthian Table Grapes; or A Damn Fool Is Born Every Minute

2010-09-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

My daily breakfast consists of vanilla Greek yogurt with either raspberries or blackberries mixed in. Well, as the berry season must be winding down, I've had trouble finding my favorites each week. A few days ago, I stumbled upon something called the Black Corinthian Table Grape. They were packaged in a little plastic box, shelved right next to the strawberries. I thought they looked very cute, and since they seemed to be "special" grapes, I thought they might taste "special" in my morning yogurt.

So I bought the blasted grapes and brought them to work with me. Each purple-black little orb is about a quarter inch in diameter, a tiny fraction of the size of a regular grape. And they are fragile! If you tug too forcefully, you might squish the little bugger. I felt like Alice, having just taken a swig from a bottle labeled "drink me" and finding myself in a world where the grapes are too small for my giant, fumbling fingers to grasp. It took me a darn long time to pluck enough grapes to adorn my yogurt cup, and then when I finally did, half of them still had miniature stem remnants.

If I go to all of this trouble, practically needing tweezers and a magnifying glass to eat my breakfast, surely the payoff is worthwhile, right? So what do Black Corinthian Table Grapes taste like? GRAPES! They taste like GRAPES.

The End.

T-Ball Time!

2010-09-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

Ethan and Elliot played in their first T-Ball game this morning! All of the little kids were so darn cute. Joel and I laughed throughout the entire game.

As we were walking into the sports complex this morning, Ethan started crying out of the blue. One minute he was skipping along, full of excitement, and then in a flash, tears were streaming down his face. I rushed over to him and asked him what was the matter. Choking back tears, he said "I don't want to play with them, they throw too fast! I'm scared of those balls!" He was pointing to an adult fast-pitch league game that was underway. Poor little guy was afraid we were going to turn him over to the big dogs on his first day! But once he got to the T-ball field and saw that it was full of other little kids, just like him, he was happy. He had a big grin during the whole game, never took his eyes off the ball, and really hustled out on the field.

I wasn't entirely sure that the game would really capture Elliot's interest or attention. She's just not quite the sports fan (or athlete, for that matter) that her little brother is. But she did great too! I think her favorite part was high-fiving the other team at the end of the game. She just needs to be socializing, constantly.

Lessons From The Road

2010-09-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the fine city of Omaha, Nebraska, and thus completed my second out-of-state business trip. I am now, therefore, an expert on business travel. I shall now share a few things I have learned from the road.

1. A cubicle is a cubicle is a cubicle. It doesn't matter if you are in Phoenix or Paris...If you are working on a grading plan in a beige cubicle with cold grey shelves and a navy swivel chair, you'd might as well be on the moon. Work is boring no matter where you are.

2. Billing your expenses, however, is rather nice. I do like sleeping on nice clean sheets and taking a break from cooking. (Now you must think my sheets are dirty. Well, they aren't filthy, but they aren't hotel sheets either. Okay? Quit judging me.)

3. New Car Smell rocks. My rental car only had 200 miles on it, and even though it wasn't as nice as my own car, it smelled better. And therefore I loved it.

4. Evenings are so much longer when you are by yourself. When I'm home with the fam, the evening is one mad and crazy rush to make dinner, eat, do homework, pack lunches, spend quality time together, take baths, read stories, tuck in the kids, pack gym bags, and collapse into bed. Whilst in Omaha, I found I had time for an evening pedicure, browsing in some shops, going for a run, and even watching TV. In some ways the long evenings were nice. In other ways, they were just...long.

5. Dining alone is quite nice. I'd prefer to take all of my meals with Joel or a good friend. But eating alone isn't so bad at all.

6. Even if you are eating alone, the waiter still brings you the same size bread basket. This could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. The only thing that keeps me from lusting after bread like Edward wants Bella is the feeling that, 1) I must share some with my tablemates, and 2) I should aim to preserve the slightest shred of dignity. Dining alone (see #5, above) removes both of those obstacles.

7. Considering #6, it's a good thing I had time in the evenings to run.

8. Sleeping can be hard, and I don't think it's the jet lag. I miss Joel and my babies something fierce when I'm away. There is such a comfort knowing that Joel sleeps next to me, and my babies are just down the hall.

9. It is remarkable how very, very different other cities are from Phoenix, and every single time I visit one, I find myself thinking, "Oh, I love it here! I could so live here! These houses are beautiful!"

10. But then when my plane is landing, and I'm practically sitting in some stranger's lap trying to get a view of Camelback Mountain, I realize...there is No Place Like Home.

A Conversation with Joel...

2010-09-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'm at work this morning and I get another phone call from Joel...a second phone call, after our usual 9:00am chat....

Me: Hey babe, how are you boys doing today?
Joel: Not bad. Ethan and I went to take a haircut. He looks very handsome now.
Me: I bet he does. That is one good lookin' kid.
Joel: I was getting out of the shower, and I looked in the mirror, and the thought crossed my mind that I should run the half marathon this year.
Me: Yeah, that sounds like a hoot. Good luck with that.
Joel: Well, I just figure we're not getting any younger, you know?
Me: Yeah, you remind me of that pretty regularly.
Joel: So I think I'm going to sign up. The registration fee goes up after September 15.
Me: Seriously?
Joel: Yeah. I run a lot now. I'll be ready by January.
Me: So you mean it. You actually want to run it this year? For reals?
Joel: It just magically came to me, in the shower... but I think it's a good idea.
Me: I think it would be really cool to finish, but it sounds really hard.
Joel: Well there are bands every mile, and you get a t-shirt.
Me: Okay. Well, you'd better sign me up too then. Just make sure I'm way in the back...next to the wheelchair racers and the old-lady-speedwalkers.

And like that, I'm training for my first half-marathon. Set your DVRs now to record the evening news on January 16. I'll be the one evacuated by helicopter after I collapse at the 11 mile mark.

Breakfast for Dinner!

2010-08-23T12:05:00.002-07:00

I'm just going to come right out and say it. If you don't like pancakes, you're probably a communist.

Early in our dating relationship, Joel and I would spend Friday evenings enjoying some tasty breakfast for dinner at the Cracker Barrel by his apartment. Oh, to be young and reckless again, falling in love over maple syrup!

Pancakes make me happy, and I can't even count how many different recipes I've attempted trying to find the perfect one. Most are too thick and dough-y, burning on the outside before cooking on the inside.

But these...these are pancake perfection! I will look no further! They are thin and delicious, cooking to a nice golden brown. And they are so easy to flip! Usually when I make pancakes, it is a flipping disaster. (Pun intended.)

So I am documenting the recipe for you to enjoy, and also to ensure that I never lose it! And if you feel your pancake recipe is better, please, by all means...share with me!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 sugar
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
pinch of salt

1. Preheat skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixer until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles
4. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes.
5. Cook on other side until golden brown.

Note: I doubled this recipe, and it made more than enough for all of us, plus some extra to freeze for later. I also didn't have any buttermilk, so I substituted regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice. It worked just fine.

Elliot is a First Grader!

2010-08-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

For the entire month of August, Elliot faithfully counted down the days until school started again. She made a chain out of Bendaroos and removed one link each evening, until it was finally time to return to her beloved school.

We are one week into the new year, and so far she really seems to be enjoying it.

She told me her favorite thing to do at school is write. (That's Elliot...she is seldom without a pen in her hand. I stocked up on spiral notebooks during the back-to-school sales so she can write to her heart's content.)

She's also excited that she gets to go to PE, music class, and computer class this year. (Remember playing Oregon Trail in computer class? "You attempted to ford the river. You lost: 2 axles, 40 pounds of flour, and Jeremiah.")

Every Friday morning, the entire school congregates by class around the flag pole for a Spirit Assembly. They recite the Pledge of Allegiance, The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence (do you have it memorized? I don't!), and the definition of Pirate PRIDE: (Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence).

This year, she is in the same class as her good friend, Landon. Elliot and Landon have been buddies since they were 3-year olds in the same preschool class at Tutor Time. It's been fun watching them grow up together!

For the first time this year, Elliot is also attending Pirate's Cove, the before and after school program at her school. She likes playing with her friends there, and I really like saving $300 a month! (And guess what...as soon as Ethan turns 5 in May, he'll be able to go to the summer program there, and I'll be saving gobs of money...gobs I tell you! I am ecstatic just thinking about it!!)

I think I'm looking forward to this new school year as much as Elliot!

Disneyland: Summer 2010

2010-08-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, I'm a bit of a Disneyland fanatic. The entire park is a feast for the senses. Two of the most glorious smells on the planet are the insides of The Pirates of the Caribbean and The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor. I love to listen to the ragtime pianist on Main Street. And a glimpse of Walt and Mickey standing hand in hand at the foot of the castle is a sight that never fails to make me smile.
It doesn't stop with mere sensory pleasures, though. Disneyland captures a child's imagination like no place else. That, more than anything, is what makes each visit so special.

This last trip was especially fantastic. I've spent years studying the dynamics of the machine that is Disneyland, and it has paid off with dividends. Despite heavy summer weekend crowds, we never waited in line longer than 15 minutes. We all enjoyed our favorite rides multiple times, and were treated to plenty of new experiences that even I had never sampled before.

My mom and I surprised the kids on a Thursday evening after work. I picked them up from school and told them we were going out to dinner with Grandma. Joel and the guys were preparing to leave for Sturgis the next day, so when we got there, I asked if the kids would like to do something fun as well. They were bouncing around like crazy when we told them that we were leaving to go to Disneyland as soon as they got in the car! It was a long drive out (and I believe my mom and I deserve to pat ourselves on the back for successfully navigating Southern California freeways in the dark with no help at all!) but we finally made it to the Grand Californian around midnight. The hotel was so nice, and worth every penny for the convenience, quality, and service. As I was parking the car that night, I noticed that crews were out mopping the sidewalks! It is no accident that the Disneyland Resort is so spotlessly clean. The hotel even provided a soothing mint foot cream with the standard toiletries. My mom and I enjoyed rubbing it in to our weary feet each night before collapsing under the plush down comforter and high thread count sheets. Heavenly!

Staying on park property made it easier to arrive at the entrance gate the moment the park opened. This was critical! We spent the mornings walking right onto our favorite rides, while simultaneously collecting fast passes for later. Not only were we the first riders of the day on the teacups, but we also had a private tea party...we were the only ones on the ride! The lonely ride operator had plenty of time to spare, so she offered to take our pictures.

This trip also marked Ethan's first time riding many of the bigger rides. He's not quite as bold and adventurous as his big sister (who begs to be measured weekly to see if she is tall enough for California Screamin') so it was quite the accomlishment for him to brave the "wildest ride in the wilderness".

This picture sums up why you simply must arrive at opening. The park was so blissfully empty! At the moment I snapped this picture, I already had two sets of fast passes socked away for later, and we had already been on more than half a dozen rides.

The Jedi Training Academy was, by far, one of the best moments of the trip for me. Ethan has recently become a huge Star Wars fan, so I knew they would love this show. I had read online that bringing along a sign for your kids to hold during the Padewan Selection process would increase their odds of being picked. And it worked! The kids held up their homemade signs and were selected right away!

They were each clothed in a Jedi robe and given a light saber, while the Jedi instructor trained them in various fighting techniques. Ethan LOVED this part! As their training wrapped up, however, the music changed and Darth Vader and Darth Maul came on the scene. It was time for the young Jedis to apply their skills against the dark side. At this point, Ethan got a little nervous. He wasn't quite prepared to battle Darth Vader. Maybe next time. But Elliot proudly took the stage to subdue Vader!

As the parks became crowded in the afternoon, we would head over to Downtown Disney to grab lunch. There are plenty of tasty options there, without the long lines plaguing restaurants inside the park. We followed lunch with a nice swim and a few runs on the waterslide, and then headed inside for a nap. Oh, glorious naps! The midday rest really made all the difference. When we headed back into the parks in the late afternoon, we were refreshed and ready to go as the rest of the crowd was losing their steam. Late afternoon is also a great time to visit California Adventure. The crowds are always less overwhelming and there are so many awesome things to enjoy over there. Also, the fast pass systems are not linked between the two parks, so there is still some time to grab a few for later. The recently opened Silly Symphony Swings were a favorite for us!

Ethan's favorite ride, by far, is still the rockets. Elliot would sometimes complain that it was "too slow" for her, but judging by these pictures, I'd say she enjoyed it after all.

As Elliot and I were getting off BTMR in the morning, guess who we just happened to bump into? It really is a small world!

Elliot and Ethan really do approach the park very differently, and it is so fun to spend time with them individually and experience it their ways. Elliot is more like Chad and I were as kids. She wants to run, nay-sprint, from one coaster to the next. She would focus her entire morning on "The Mountain Range" and gladly miss everything else. Ethan, however, is perfectly content to wander slowly and just enjoy the atmosphere. He loved shooting the rifles in Frontierland and looking at the Snow White statues by the castle. I doubt Elliot would have even noticed either one of those things!

In the end, though, this is really the best part:

Time with the people I love, and a visit to a land of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.

Summer Highlights

2010-08-15T16:35:00.010-07:00

Not to be cliche, but where did this summer go? I've just finished packing Elliot's lunch and organizing her backpack to send her off to first grade tomorrow, and yet it seems like we just celebrated the last day of school! As I look through my summer pictures, though, the evidence speaks for itself: We had a jam-packed and fabulous summer! Since I was pretty lazy about blogging any of it over the last few months , I thought I'd review everything in one big picture-packed mega-post.
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Our summer of fun kicked off after Elliot "graduated" from Kindergarten. I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up during their presentation. I couldn't love this child more, and I'm so proud that she rocked grade K!

Early in the summer, we headed over to San Diego for some time at the beach and a visit to Legoland. The weather was pretty chilly, but we all enjoyed our sailing adventure in the bay, checking out the airplanes on the USS Midway, and playing in the sand. I even had the chance to reunite with a long lost friend from college, and Joel got to visit a very special place: The Karl Strauss Brewery.

In July, my baby girl turned 6 years old! We enjoyed a family party at Organ Stop Pizza, and then celebrated with a couple of her girlfriends with some pampering at Sweet 'n Sassy.

Toward the end of July, we were all eager to escape the beastly heat, so we headed up north for a day in Flagstaff. We rode the chairlift to the top of the mountain at Snowbowl, wandered around the shops downtown, and then let the kids enjoy playing in a park where the equipment didn't burn their skin. And of course, no trip to Flagstaff is complete without dinner at Beaver Street Brewery.

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In August, we initiated what I hope will be a new tradition: The McCarty/Marmaduke Annual Staycation. We got a fabulous room at the Wild Horse Pass Resort, where the kids (and, lets be honest, the adults) all enjoyed the water slide and the many pools. The resort staff had lots of organized activities and even some free ice cream bars for the kids. In the evening, we rode the water taxi over to Rawhide, where we all proudly tried (and liked!) the rattlesnake appetizer. The kids spent the evening in one room watching movies, while the adults were next door enjoying some wine and cards. We all had a fabulous time and look forward to enjoying the awesome rooms and service at Wild Horse Pass again next year.

Joel and the guys had been planning a visit to the huge motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota for the better part of a year. They rode their motorcycles over 2800 miles from Phoenix to Sturgis and back, in the company of more than half a million fellow bikers. While the crowds were a bit overwhelming, the boys definitely enjoyed the good company and the beautiful scenery.

In my ideal fantasy world, no summer is complete without a trip to Disneyland. Since my mom and I didn't want to stay home alone, we surprised the kids with a trip to DL. This was probably one of the best trips ever! Even though the parks were busy, we never waited in a long line. (I have to admit, I think I've mastered the strategy for enjoying Disneyland...this whole trip was so fabulous that it most definitely warrants a separate post at some point.) And as if three days at the Happiest Place on Earth weren't enough, we also enjoyed three nights at the most fantabulous hotel on earth. We took naps everyday, and my mom and I agreed that was one of the best parts of the trip.

And now, here we are, ready to start another school year. Based on the experience of last year, I know it will fly by and I'll have two kids in grade school before I know it. We are truly blessed to enjoy such an awesome family and such an exciting and fun-filled summer!

Chris Van Allsburg Books

2010-07-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

I can hardly call these children's books my "new" favorites, because I remember enjoying many of them when I was a child. I still remember studying the thoughtful illustrations and pondering the delightful fantasies of Jumanji and Polar Express when I was a kid.

But lately we've been enjoying some of Chris Van Allsburg's other books during our family story time. Each one is more fantastically illustrated than the last, with clever stories that beg you to turn the page. They are challenging, but yet simple enough to hold Ethan's attention and allow Elliot to do some of the reading.

My favorite parts of these books, however, are the shrewd and witty endings. The kids actually have to think about them for a minute to fully grasp and appreciate what just happened. They are engaged and interested, wondering and talking through the story. They really get to stretch their reading comprehension, but the stories aren't so difficult as to prove frustrating. We ask questions like:
"what do you think really happened there?"
"did she trick them?"
"did that really happen, or was it just in their imagination?"
"did you know that was going to happen?"
"do you think he got what he deserved?"

We haven't read them all yet (there are many to chose from!) but I try to pick them up whenever I find them at the library. Here are a few of the titles we've enjoyed:

The Sweetest Fig tells the tale of two magical figs that, when eaten, make your dreams come true.

The Widow's Broom is the story of an old discarded witch's broom that helps a widow with her household chores, but is feared by the neighbors.

Like Jumanji, Zathura is a seemingly childish board game that turns into a wild adventure.

Probuditi shares the story of a brother that hypnotizes his little sister...or does he?

Have you enjoyed any of Van Allsburg's stories in your family? Do you have other authors that you appreciate? I'd love to hear from you if you happen to be reading along... (Lately this blog seems about as empty as a church on Monday morning!)

#68: Give Elliot Piano Lessons

2010-07-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've tried to give Elliot some basic piano lessons a few times before, and she just wasn't quite ready yet. But she sat down and started messing around tonight, so I sat with her and worked on some scales. She fumbled a bit at first, and I almost quit, figuring she still wasn't ready. But then she started to get the hang of the whole "one key per finger" concept. Soon, she was playing a 5-note C-scale...first with her left hand, then with her right. (I am the only right-handed person in my family. Isn't that weird?)

Sitting next to Elliot on the bench brought back many memories of the years and years I spent at the keyboard. My parents were very generous and gave me the gift of 12 years of piano lessons. By the time I graduated high school, I was a pretty decent player. (I was most certainly not a prodigy, but I could pick up a piece of music and make my way through it.) Unfortunately, as the years have gone by, and life has gotten busier, my piano playing time has all but disappeared. I'm lucky if I sit down at the piano 3-4 times a year, and the it is so horribly out of tune that when I do play, the dog runs out into the backyard. At some point, I would love to commit myself to playing regularly. I'm confident that I could pick up the basics again pretty quickly. With some practice, maybe all those years of lessons wouldn't be lost.

But for now, we'll see how Elliot's interest and ability progress. I would love to get her enrolled in lessons soon!

Happy Birthday Elliot!

2010-07-13T09:57:00.001-07:00

So guess what I was doing six years ago today...

I was working hard to bring this little doll baby into the world.

A lot of the details are pretty hazy. I remember showing up to the hospital for my induction after our last date as a child-free couple. We had eaten at Rubio's. Seriously? That was the best we could come up with? That's just lame. But I remember laboring painfully for about three hours, then, um, parting company with my Rubio's burrito, if you catch my drift. (I didn't realize labor made you nauseous.) 14 hours later, Elliot finally decided to join us.

She was just too cute for words. I nursed her and held her for as long as my arms had strength. I adored her more than life itself. And then I was thrilled to pieces when a nurse came and took her away. I immediately passed out into a kind of coma, and was only roused sometime later by some apple juice and a pop tart. Still the best meal I've ever eaten.

It may look like he's holding her, but she's also held her daddy from day one.

She was born with perfect highlights that some people pay lots of money for. (Not me, obviously...but some people.)

And I'm telling you, she just keeps on getting cuter every day. She's having a little party with a couple of girls this weekend, and I'll post some current pics then. But for now, I just needed to travel back and remember my baby. Happy Birthday Elly-Belly!

Magic Sleeping Potion

2010-07-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

When Chad and I were little, we used to tromp down the stairs after tossing and turning for what seemed like forever (but was probably only 15 minutes) to complain that we just couldn't fall asleep. But my mom had the perfect solution to combat our restlessness. She mixed us each a cup of magic sleeping potion. To this day, I'm not sure what she put in it, but it always worked. We always headed back upstairs and fell right asleep.

Now, even though Elliot and Ethan don't tend to have any trouble falling asleep, they have been known to have their evenings of rambunctiousness. On those nights, I mix my own special blend of magic sleeping potion. It works like a charm!

Just a few gulps, and they start yawning, stretching, and doing their best impressions of sleepwalkers.

I'm sure you could come up with your own recipe for magic sleeping potion. When I make it, I start with "stirred" chocolate milk. Then I add a few shakes from this mysterious little bottle that I keep in my pantry. (It looks suspiciously like an empty bottle of almond extract, doesn't it?)

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a glass of my own magic sleeping potion. Except it comes from a container that looks suspiciously like an almost-full bottle of wine. You have to do whatever works for you.

Sufficient Unto The Day...

2010-07-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that our family enjoyed a delightful vacation last week, and I returned feeling physically renewed and recharged, I’ve still been pushed far beyond my mental stress comfort zone this week.

I’ve had trouble shutting my brain off from the continuous loop of “if” statements running through the spreadsheet in my head.

So I’m trying to remind myself of one of my favorite bible verses, which not only speaks eternal truth and wisdom, but also just sounds so beautiful rolling off my tongue:

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

There is nothing I can accomplish by worrying, wishing, and wondering. I’m going to try to release what I can and just focus on some happy thoughts for now, to help me cope.

What makes me happy? How about three of the most remarkable and endearing people on the planet, that’s what. Not only do I get to share a home and life with them, but they actually love me too!

Joel, my perfectly patient saint of a husband, made me dinner last night. I had taken the kids swimming and didn’t feel much like cooking afterwards. So he fixed a heaping plate of leftover mashed potatoes with the skins on, and melted a thick slice of Colby jack on top. Deeee-licious. I think it is my new favorite food. How I love that man.

Ethan, my precocious and affectionate little boy, gives me more snuggles than I could hope for, and lets me blow raspberries on his tummy, which is pretty much the main reason I had kids. When I tell him that I love him to infinity and beyond, he (rightly) informs me that there is no such thing as beyond infinity. How does a four-year old know that? I’m not sure if I should be impressed or a little bit scared!

Elliot, my affable and playful little girl, is just a joy to behold. When she’s not spending time forging meaningful relationships with every child she encounters, she is busy delighting her mommy with giggles. I picked up a “How to Draw Princesses” book from the library, and we’ve enjoyed spending our evenings drawing and coloring princesses and castles. There is something remarkably therapeutic about a box of 64 brand new Crayola crayons and a precious daughter to share them with.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling better already! Life is pretty darn awesome, if you ask me! Just the same, if you feel so inclined, I would especially appreciate a virtual pat on the shoulder and a reminder that everything will be okay.

The Hula Phenom

2010-06-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

You know how parents sometimes dream that their kids will reveal a hidden talent, proving to be an amazing phenom on the road to winning Olympic gold, a Pulitzer Prize, or the top spot on American Idol? Well I'm beaming with pride to report that Elliot has discovered her exceptional, awe-inspiring, God-given talent.

This girl can hula hoop like nobody's business. I could post a video, but I won't bother, because it would be like, 3 hours long and even I would get bored of that. I don't know how her skinny little hips manage to keep the hoop aloft, but she hulas forEVER. Look at this show-off...working three hoops at the same time:

She has decided to take her hula hoop to school tomorrow. Apparently, while she was playing with her friends today, she offered to teach a hula hoop class and she claims that lots of her friends have signed up. See? She's not yet six years old and she's giving clinics to the local youth. I'm pretty sure that Steve Nash does that too.

#38-Swimming for Exercise AND Speedos are AWESOME!

2010-06-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

The kiddos have been taking swim lessons twice a week this month. So far they seem to be enjoying them, even though they are both pretty good swimmers already. The lessons are helping them refine their skills, introducing them to kids in the neighborhood, and forcing us to get to the pool during the week.

On the first day of their lessons, I kicked back in a lounge chair and soaked up some rays. I thought the relaxation was pretty nice! But by the second day, I figured it was pretty ridiculous to just be sitting there while I was paying someone else to help my kids swim. I could to be getting some pool time in myself!

So I hopped in and started swimming a few laps in my cute little tankini with the flimsy halter tie around the neck. I soon discovered that was about as effective as hiking in flip flops. If one is going to exercise properly, one needs the right equipment, no?

After hitting the nickel sale at Bevmo, I ran next door to Dick's and picked up a sporty new Speedo bathing suit (50% off to boot!) I swam in my new professional-quality suit today, and let me tell you....I don't know how I've ever managed without a Speedo in my life before today. Talk about slimming! I felt like a million bucks, and Ethan even told me I looked just like a swim teacher. This thing was better than a pair of Spanx. I've never felt so confident at a pool before! (From certain angles, there might have been a smidge of back fat showing, but nobody's perfect, right?) I was able to swim about 4 times as many laps in this new bathing suit, and I can cross of #38 from my list with complete certainty now. Swimming laps in my fabulous new Speedo is an awesome workout. It just doesn't even compare to the spashing around I did with the kids in my tankini.

This is where I do my official lap swimming...Now I just need to learn how to do some proper swim strokes and I'll be legit!

Exercise with Coffee Filters!

2010-06-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at my strength training class this morning, the instructor told us to take two coffee filters from a baggie on the floor. I was a bit perplexed...I couldn't imagine what we'd be using them for. I've been taking this class for close to three years now, and I hadn't run across the "coffee filter technique" before.

It ended up being a lot of fun, and it was a great workout as well! I thought I'd pass it along so you can try it at home! (I had some help with the pictures from Elliot, my budding junior photographer.)

1. Take two coffee filters. Luckily for me, I had exactly two coffee filters left over from borrowing my dad's coffee pot on Thanksgiving! Place the filters under the balls of your feet.

2. On a smooth surface, get into the plank position. You can put your hands on a step if you want to, but I don't think you have to. Don't let your butt stick up in the air.

3. Slide your feet apart, and then together again.

4. Keep on doing this until you feel like you can't do it anymore. Then try to get in one more set of ten, and then hold your plank for a count of 20. You can do it.

The coffee filters add a nice element to lunges as well. Use one under one foot, and slide it back until your knee is close to the floor.

Be sure the knee of the front leg does not extend past your ankle. Then slide your rear leg back to the starting position.

It should be noted: I am not a trainer and I have no special expertise in physical education. I just learned this in class this morning and I liked it! I also like writing things on my blog here, ergo, this post.

Bananagrams, Old Maid, and a Big Sore Loser

2010-06-07T21:02:00.001-07:00

You know those moms out there that just can't let their kids relax on summer vacation? They have to make sure they are still learning and growing and being challenged, despite the fact that school's out? They are always on the look-out for educational opportunities at home to supplement the lost classroom time? Those moms are such dorks, huh?!?

Okay. I admit it. I am one of those moms. And I stumbled upon the perfect educational activity that is fun too! I picked up a game called Bananagrams. It's similar to Scrabble, in the sense that you draw letter titles and arrange them into words. But there aren't any point values on the letters, and each player makes their own little crossword. Elliot enjoyed arranging her tiles to form different words and seemed to catch on very quickly. Ethan was enjoying himself too. He spelled his full name, and was sounding out letters and spelling a few of Elliot's sight words that he learned along with her while she was in Kindergarten. And since each kid had their own tiles, they weren't competing with each other. Everyone was happy and Bananagrams was a huge success.

Since our family and friends all enjoy playing cards, I also picked up a couple of decks of kids games while I was at the store. I thought it would be good for them to start learning card games. That way they could play their Old Maid and Crazy 8s together while the grown-ups were playing our card games, and they'll also be trained early in the family card-playing tradition.

Once again, our family game night started out very well. We modified the rules of Old Maid slightly, so their little hands wouldn't have to hold all of their cards, and both kids seemed to really enjoy the game. Until Ethan lost. (He didn't actually even LOSE. He came in second...I lost.) But he was not a happy camper. When Elliot went out and he was stuck with a handful of unmatched cards, he let loose on a tantrum the likes of which I'm hoping I never have to witness again. I'm not certain, but it might have even registered on the Richter Scale, and he's not typically the tantrum type. Losing obviously struck a nerve.

I'm the first to admit it...I don't really like to lose at cards either. But even when I do lose, I have managed to learn to keep my tantrums to a somewhat reasonable level. (I might stomp my feet and complain for a minute, but I don't drag it out too long ;)

So now I'm left with the conundrum....How do I teach my kid to lose gracefully? I'm guessing we just keep playing games, and give him plenty of opportunities to win and lose, teaching him throughout the process, and praising good sportsmanship. But I'm open to other suggestions as well. Have you raised a kid that can handle the bitter taste of defeat with grace and aplomb? I'm very open to suggestions!

Book Review: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

2010-06-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

After watching Food, Inc. my interest in food and nutrition was piqued. I recently read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food, and my hunger for an informative and common-sense approach to the subject was totally satisfied.

I’ve observed people jumping on various diet bandwagons, cutting carbs, ordering low-fat, fasting from sugar, abstaining from this or that, and I’ve always been a bit bewildered by it. It just seems so darned exhausting. (And often, they tumble off the bandwagon a few weeks after climbing on.) I have to wonder if jumping through all of these dietary hoops is really worth it. As Pollan states, “Thirty years of nutritional advice have left us fatter, sicker, and more poorly nourished.”

But Pollan provides a solution to our eating dilemmas that not only seems much easier, but just makes good sense: Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

“Food is also about pleasure, about community, about family and spirituality, about our relationship to the natural world, and about expressing our identity. As long as humans have been taking meals together, eating has been as much about culture as it has been about biology.”

Modern science has taken a reductionist approach to food, trying to break it down to the micronutrient level to discover that one magic element that will ensure health and wellness. Whenever science makes progress in finding the latest wonder-nutrient, the processed food companies race to fortify their food-like products with it. (I’m sure we’ve all seen these ridiculous labels at the store: Froot Loops: Now with WHOLE GRAINS!!) But for whatever reason, human ingenuity has been unable to replicate the nutrition that occurs naturally in our food. What makes a carrot so darn healthy? Is it the vitamins? Anti-oxidants? Fiber? Some yet undiscovered component? Or the various relationships and interactions between each element?

“The good news is that, to the carrot eater, it doesn’t matter. That’s the great thing about eating foods as compared with nutrients: You don’t need to fathom a carrot’s complexity in order to reap its benefits.”

Pollan outlines the paradigm shift in eating, food shopping, and nutritional thinking that has taken place over the last 30 years. He then summarizes the rapidly rising occurrences of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension that have mirrored this shift in our eating habits. As he explains,

“In 1960 Americans spend 17.5% of their income on food and 5.2% on health care. Since then, food spending has fallen to 9.9%, while healthcare spending has almost tripled to 16%.”

Is it a coincidence that healthcare costs have almost tripled while food costs have dropped by almost half? As science discovers new technologies for food fertilizing, processing, and preserving, the ‘food’ output gets cheaper. But the high fructose corn syrup, trans-fat, and myriad chemicals and additives have proven to have catastrophic impacts on health.

The solution is simple.

Eat Food. Pollan suggests if your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize the product, you can safely assume it isn’t food. Case in point: Go-gurt.

Not Too Much. This one seems pretty obvious. We eat too much food, so eat less.

Mostly Plants. Meat, dairy, eggs…they are all perfectly healthy options. But they are the accompaniment to the main attraction: fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

Of course, changing our eating habits means making changes to our budget and schedule.

“While it is true that many people simply can’t afford to pay more for food, either in money of time or both, many more of us can. After all, just in the last decade or two we’ve somehow found the time in the day to spend several hours on the Internet and the money in the budget not only to pay for broadband service, but to cover a second phone bill and a new monthly bill for television, formerly free.”

Perhaps it wasn’t the author’s intention, but I believe his book simply affirms God’s plan for man’s sustenance.

“Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:29-31

Improving our eating habits is an ongoing goal for me and our family. This book provided not only motivation, but valuable information to help me on this journey. I highly recommend In Defense of Food.