A few years ago, I was asked to retain my position as secretary of the primary organization through another presidency--a position that I had been detesting for awhile. At the time, I was a little put off. I was cornered in the hall on my way to the chapel by the 2nd counselor in the bishopric who took my aside and basically said "We didn't realize we needed a new secretary when we changed the president. Please say yes. Then we can sustain you all today." Which really left little choice and left me wondering about "callings from God".
Which is a completely different blog post.
However, I made some great friends in that presidency and now realize that I was meant to be there. Even if the message got a little mixed in the translation.
Which leads me to today's spiritual thought.
Sometimes, our motives are questioned. I'm using the Mormon church as an example, but it can be widened to include a lot more. Sometimes we agree to do things because we feel that it's our duty, but we aren't exactly excited to be doing them. Like with some callings in the church.
Does anyone want to be bishop?
But we do them because we realize that our strengths are needed. So we put aside things in our lives, make sacrifices and go at it with faith because that's what we've been taught. And deep down inside we know it's the right thing to do.
Does anyone have the right to question this as long as we're doing it to the best of our abilities?
(Apparently, they think they have the right, but the answer is no.)
We are all going to be asked to do things in our lives that we don't want to do, whether it be to fight a disease, endure some tragedy, get a job below our worth to feed our family, or fulfill a church calling. And if we have the faith that it will work out in the end--whatever that end might be--than sometimes that's all we can hope for. Happiness is something that will come later.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
"What is THAT?" Pictures
I know that you all have been checking back daily to see if I've posted my lastest pictures from the half marathon I ran on Saturday.
And here they are. A record 13 of them were shot, but I won't post them all. I would imagine if you took six of them and flipped through them really fast, you'd get a visual of what I look like when I'm actually running (and at about that same speed too). However, there were some good ones this time. By which I mean to say ones that we can all laugh about.
And here they are. A record 13 of them were shot, but I won't post them all. I would imagine if you took six of them and flipped through them really fast, you'd get a visual of what I look like when I'm actually running (and at about that same speed too). However, there were some good ones this time. By which I mean to say ones that we can all laugh about.
First up, our standard fireplace shot. Just like in 2008, we posed by the exact same fireplace this go round too. I feel a little self conscious, being like a foot taller than both H. and C. But all three of us were really excited to get going. Which was a big change from 2008, where I was dreading the whole thing.
Next up is the best picture of 5 I have with the lady in gray. (Cue: Lady in gray is running with me. Cheek to cheek. There's nobody here, just you and me, it's where I want to be...) Unfortunately, I don't even remember running with the lady in gray, she was that unmemorable. But, if wanted, I could immortalize her with 5 pictures of us running together.
This was one that was taken towards the end. I was sucking on a peppermint that was handed out somewhere in the loop of hell (a loop around a ritzier neighborhood that (a) was a lot longer than I anticipated and (b) only served to remind me that I wasn't as rich as I wish I were) and accidently bit down on it right before I saw the camera man. Then in an effort to keep from spewing chunks of peppermint all over him, I pulled this face. Pretty, isn't it?
Catnap:
And finally, the homestrech Make no mistake. Not only do I look like I'm going to cry. I feel like I'm going to cry too. I may have even cried a little but I don't really recall. My legs were on FIRE.
Here was my Race Nemesis though (happily) the picture doesn't do her justice
Here is H., C., and me at the finish line. We look a little bit better than we feel.
Won't you all be sad when I retire my running shoes for good? Where else can you go to get such good laughs?
Seriously, how do these photographers make money?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Wontons and Ham Fried Rice
We love Chinese Food here. But, we don't get it very often. However, I'm working on expanding my Chinese skills, so we can eat it more. I chose won tons this week, originally picturing pot stickers in my head. By the time I realized that we weren't going to be eating pot stickers, all the ingredients were bought. So pot stickers in the future.
I found this recipe in a handout in the won ton wrappers after I used the wrappers for a different recipe last week. The Ham Fried Rice I've been making for a while and I believe it's one of Wade's favorite dishes. I could be wrong. But don't get me started on that...
Won Tons
1 package won ton wrappers (found in the produce section of most grocery stores. They're refrigerated.)
4 oz Cream Cheese (I used Neufchatel Cheese. 1/3 less fat than regular cream cheese and I can't taste a difference.)
1 green onion, finely chopped
3/4 tsp grated ginger (I just used the stuff in the spice jar)
1/3 pound meat cut into tiny cubes (I used chicken and steak because I had that around.)
Chinese spiced teriyaki sauce
In medium-sized wok, add 1 tsp vegetable oil and meat. When meat is about 1/3 done add in the chinese spiced teriyaki sauce. (The recipe called for 2 cups, but I thought that was a little overkill, so I just poured in as much as I thought would give it some kick.) Cook meat until desired doneness. (My meat was already cooked, so I just heated it up.)
Mix cream cheese, green onion and ginger together. Stir in cooked meat. Use 1 tsp filling for each won ton. Place mixture in middle of won ton, moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold in a triangle.
Heat oil in pan (or fryer) to fry the won tons. Place 4-5 won tons in oil, turn once and cook for 1 minute until brown. Drain on paper towels.
Ham Fried Rice
Cold rice (I'll be honest, some days I don't get around to making the rice beforehand, so I'll make it, put it in the freezer while I'm making the main course and then use that. It seems to turn out alright.)
Cubed ham (Best ham to use are the ham steaks, but the already cubed ham from wal-mart is okay too.)
Ginger
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Soy Sauce
2 eggs
2 T vegetable oil
Scramble the eggs in the 2 T vegetable oil. Remove eggs from wok (or pan) and add the rice. Fry the rice for a minute. Add in the spices and ham. Add the soy sauce. Mix in the eggs. Adjust for taste.
I wish I had the exact amounts for the spices for you, but I just shake what I think I need in. Obviously, don't go overkill on the chili powder. And sometimes too much ginger will ruin the taste, so be mindful. Taste it after it's all put together and see if it needs some adjusting.
It use to be that I followed every recipe to a tee, but now I find myself just guesstimating. It could be because I'm either too lazy to care or I'm starting to feel more comfortable in the kitchen. I'll aim for number 2, but you can believe what you want. :)
I found this recipe in a handout in the won ton wrappers after I used the wrappers for a different recipe last week. The Ham Fried Rice I've been making for a while and I believe it's one of Wade's favorite dishes. I could be wrong. But don't get me started on that...
Won Tons
1 package won ton wrappers (found in the produce section of most grocery stores. They're refrigerated.)
4 oz Cream Cheese (I used Neufchatel Cheese. 1/3 less fat than regular cream cheese and I can't taste a difference.)
1 green onion, finely chopped
3/4 tsp grated ginger (I just used the stuff in the spice jar)
1/3 pound meat cut into tiny cubes (I used chicken and steak because I had that around.)
Chinese spiced teriyaki sauce
In medium-sized wok, add 1 tsp vegetable oil and meat. When meat is about 1/3 done add in the chinese spiced teriyaki sauce. (The recipe called for 2 cups, but I thought that was a little overkill, so I just poured in as much as I thought would give it some kick.) Cook meat until desired doneness. (My meat was already cooked, so I just heated it up.)
Mix cream cheese, green onion and ginger together. Stir in cooked meat. Use 1 tsp filling for each won ton. Place mixture in middle of won ton, moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold in a triangle.
Heat oil in pan (or fryer) to fry the won tons. Place 4-5 won tons in oil, turn once and cook for 1 minute until brown. Drain on paper towels.
Ham Fried Rice
Cold rice (I'll be honest, some days I don't get around to making the rice beforehand, so I'll make it, put it in the freezer while I'm making the main course and then use that. It seems to turn out alright.)
Cubed ham (Best ham to use are the ham steaks, but the already cubed ham from wal-mart is okay too.)
Ginger
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Soy Sauce
2 eggs
2 T vegetable oil
Scramble the eggs in the 2 T vegetable oil. Remove eggs from wok (or pan) and add the rice. Fry the rice for a minute. Add in the spices and ham. Add the soy sauce. Mix in the eggs. Adjust for taste.
I wish I had the exact amounts for the spices for you, but I just shake what I think I need in. Obviously, don't go overkill on the chili powder. And sometimes too much ginger will ruin the taste, so be mindful. Taste it after it's all put together and see if it needs some adjusting.
It use to be that I followed every recipe to a tee, but now I find myself just guesstimating. It could be because I'm either too lazy to care or I'm starting to feel more comfortable in the kitchen. I'll aim for number 2, but you can believe what you want. :)
Monday, January 25, 2010
Race Report
Saturday, I ran another half marathon with H. and C. Do you know what this means? Another round of "who's that dork running" pictures will be popping up sometime later this week. However, so as to not distract from what is sure to be a great post full of awesome pictures taken while I was running (I counted 5 photographers), I'll write my report now.
It was the same half marathon I fatefully did a week after our cruise in 2008. But this time I didn't gain 7 pounds in the week preceding the race and I was much more prepared. So much more in fact that I knocked 44 MINUTES off of my time from 2008. That's almost 5 miles. Which is pretty close to half the entire distance of the race.
Yeah, I was pretty impressed too.
And it was full of great moments. Like when some girl with an updo that looked a little like this:
came jogging by with her boyfriend/fiance/husband in hot pursuit. She was wearing white spandex and a white shirt and green shoes and MAKE-UP, and a little white ear warmer thing with a big crocheted flower flopping around on it and big hoop earrings and looked SO PERFECT that had I been closer to her, I would've tripped her. Instead I settled for death glares aimed at her retreating figure. Anybody else would've looked like cartons of cottage cheese, but not her. Little Miss Sweatless Perfect. I wish I would've had my camera with me.
Turns out she passed H. right at the finish line and H. had the same inner-vomit reaction I did. We're running 13.1 miles for Pete's sake. At least sweat a little so the rest of us don't feel so chumpy. I think it might have been her wedding day. Take a day off. Geez.
And then there was the girl who was firing snot rockets--a technique employed by some runners that involves holding one nostril closed and (grossly) firing snot out the other nostril while running--without even looking to see if she was going to hit some innocent person--namely me. I vowed to myself that if I got hit with any of her snot, I was going to punch her. Luckily, she missed. But still...ew. Who wants to follow that for 13 miles?
However, H. owns the best moment of the race. She was having a bad race anyways, but at about 5 miles, there was an aid station. On one side of the pathway there were cups of Gatorade and water. On the other side were some portapotties and someone handing out some jelly substance on tongue depressors. H. ran by, grabbed a tongue depressor and continued on her way, not thinking much about it. They had told us in our packets that there would be power gels at a few of the aid stations.
They never said anything about vaseline.
It was after H. took a big bite of the vaseline and overheard the guy behind her yell out "no one said anything about this being vaseline" that she belatedly realized her mistake. By then, she was way past the water station and just had to continue on until the next one.
She's a trooper though. She continued on, even when she really started to feel sick. And she finished a good 10 minutes ahead of me.
I came in at a respectable 2:06 and some change--a little shy of my sub-2:00 goal but apparently, I had blocked out most of the race from 2008, because that was a HARD course. With a lot of hills. And as I've mentioned before, I've been avoiding hills in my training.
Note to self: avoiding hills is a bad technique.
However, we had a great time, with lots of girl talk and I can't wait for the next one. Well, I can wait, because I'm still having a hard time going up and down stairs and stupidly signed up for a 5k THIS Saturday with my brothers. But after all that...I'm good to go. Next up: Ogden Half Marathon in May.
It was the same half marathon I fatefully did a week after our cruise in 2008. But this time I didn't gain 7 pounds in the week preceding the race and I was much more prepared. So much more in fact that I knocked 44 MINUTES off of my time from 2008. That's almost 5 miles. Which is pretty close to half the entire distance of the race.
Yeah, I was pretty impressed too.
And it was full of great moments. Like when some girl with an updo that looked a little like this:
Turns out she passed H. right at the finish line and H. had the same inner-vomit reaction I did. We're running 13.1 miles for Pete's sake. At least sweat a little so the rest of us don't feel so chumpy. I think it might have been her wedding day. Take a day off. Geez.
And then there was the girl who was firing snot rockets--a technique employed by some runners that involves holding one nostril closed and (grossly) firing snot out the other nostril while running--without even looking to see if she was going to hit some innocent person--namely me. I vowed to myself that if I got hit with any of her snot, I was going to punch her. Luckily, she missed. But still...ew. Who wants to follow that for 13 miles?
However, H. owns the best moment of the race. She was having a bad race anyways, but at about 5 miles, there was an aid station. On one side of the pathway there were cups of Gatorade and water. On the other side were some portapotties and someone handing out some jelly substance on tongue depressors. H. ran by, grabbed a tongue depressor and continued on her way, not thinking much about it. They had told us in our packets that there would be power gels at a few of the aid stations.
They never said anything about vaseline.
It was after H. took a big bite of the vaseline and overheard the guy behind her yell out "no one said anything about this being vaseline" that she belatedly realized her mistake. By then, she was way past the water station and just had to continue on until the next one.
She's a trooper though. She continued on, even when she really started to feel sick. And she finished a good 10 minutes ahead of me.
I came in at a respectable 2:06 and some change--a little shy of my sub-2:00 goal but apparently, I had blocked out most of the race from 2008, because that was a HARD course. With a lot of hills. And as I've mentioned before, I've been avoiding hills in my training.
Note to self: avoiding hills is a bad technique.
However, we had a great time, with lots of girl talk and I can't wait for the next one. Well, I can wait, because I'm still having a hard time going up and down stairs and stupidly signed up for a 5k THIS Saturday with my brothers. But after all that...I'm good to go. Next up: Ogden Half Marathon in May.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Spiritual Thought Sunday--The Holocaust
When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always.
Mahatma Gandhi
On our drive from St. George yesterday we were discussing the Holocaust a little bit. Like, how one man could be so evil and convince so many people to go along with them.
But the most impressing part was that a lot--not all, I'm sure--of the Jewish people stuck in concentration camps never gave up on their God or their religion. A lot of them realized that this wasn't God's doing and they didn't hate Him for not stopping it. I'm sure there were many who felt that they'd been abandoned, but the accounts I've read say that a lot of the concentration camp residents were still very religious DESPITE their current conditions. And I wonder if I could've been that strong.
So this quote really stood out to me, because in the end, Hitler failed. Stalin failed. The evil forces that reign in our world (literally and figuratively) will eventually fail. We just have to endure through to the truth.
Whatever that truth may be.
Mahatma Gandhi
On our drive from St. George yesterday we were discussing the Holocaust a little bit. Like, how one man could be so evil and convince so many people to go along with them.
But the most impressing part was that a lot--not all, I'm sure--of the Jewish people stuck in concentration camps never gave up on their God or their religion. A lot of them realized that this wasn't God's doing and they didn't hate Him for not stopping it. I'm sure there were many who felt that they'd been abandoned, but the accounts I've read say that a lot of the concentration camp residents were still very religious DESPITE their current conditions. And I wonder if I could've been that strong.
So this quote really stood out to me, because in the end, Hitler failed. Stalin failed. The evil forces that reign in our world (literally and figuratively) will eventually fail. We just have to endure through to the truth.
Whatever that truth may be.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Heart Smart Baked Chicken
Do you have cans and cans of oatmeal in your food storage that you're not entirely sure how to get rid it except for to make no-bake chocolate cookies. Well, this isn't going to get ride of it that fast, but at least it's a start. Another winner from the Amish Mennonite cookbook.
6-8 pieces fryer chicken, skinned (uh...frozen chicken breasts from Costco?)
1 cup uncooked oatmeal (I thought long and hard about quick or regular oats. And then I saw a recipe that called for pork "still warm from the butcher", remembered this was the Amish Mennonites we're talking about and brought out the regular oats.)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine, melted.
Mix together oatmeal, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. In a separate dish, mix garlic and milk. Place chicken in oatmeal mixture, then into the milk mixture, and then back into the oatmeal mixture. Put in a shallow baking dish (sprayed with no-stick spray--missed that one) and drizzle the melted margarine over chicken. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
Quick, easy, and fairly(?) healthy. You could probably lessen the margarine if you wanted it to be healthier.
6-8 pieces fryer chicken, skinned (uh...frozen chicken breasts from Costco?)
1 cup uncooked oatmeal (I thought long and hard about quick or regular oats. And then I saw a recipe that called for pork "still warm from the butcher", remembered this was the Amish Mennonites we're talking about and brought out the regular oats.)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine, melted.
Mix together oatmeal, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. In a separate dish, mix garlic and milk. Place chicken in oatmeal mixture, then into the milk mixture, and then back into the oatmeal mixture. Put in a shallow baking dish (sprayed with no-stick spray--missed that one) and drizzle the melted margarine over chicken. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
Quick, easy, and fairly(?) healthy. You could probably lessen the margarine if you wanted it to be healthier.
Financial Tips Installment #1--Financial Goals for 2010
Since our basement--the main cause of our budget failures--is done, it's time to tighten down the budget and get on track for a totally debt-free home in 5 years. Here are my financial goals for 2010.
Set up a budget
Pretty elementary, but to be honest, we've been basically winging it for a while. It's time to sit down and set up a budget that is (a) easy and (b) realistic.
Lower grocery bill
Our #1 expense overall is groceries. Every time I step into a store, I can expect to pay $50. If I have both kids with me, add close to $10. If Wade comes as well, it's even more. My goal is to lower the grocery bill by 25% this year. Right now, I'm concentrating on building up our food storage--a blog post for another day--so, it's a little high, but I'm anticipating by March, we're going to be cutting a lot of our grocery bill. The amount we spent last year on groceries is staggering. Dropping it 25% should be easy now that I'm more mindful of what we're spending.
Buy 0 new clothing items
Next to groceries, my biggest weakness is clothes. I LOVE new clothes. I've been in denial for a long time, but I own 25 pairs of pants. To be fair, none of them were bought at "full-price", and some don't fit. But 25 pairs for a stay at home mom that leaves the house maybe three times a week? Outrageous, much? So, in 2010, I'm vowing to not buy a single new item of clothing. If I "need" something, then I'll head to the DI. So far, so good. But it's been hard. I saw some really cute things on sale the other day, but I put them back. Yay for me!
Have both cars paid for at the end of 2010
This one is going to be tough, but I think we can do it. Both cars are 2005 models and I'm anticipating a lot of good years left. We've only had the Pilot for a year, so having it paid off in two is really good. There's really no excuse as to why we don't have the Camry paid off. They're good cars that I feel comfortable traveling in through that lonely stretch of I-80 that connects us to the rest of the world. When we first moved out here, we had one car that was running on a wing and a prayer. We replaced that one and ran our Subaru (oh, how I loved my Subaru) into the ground (215,000 miles!!!). When we were in the market for a new car, we could've gone the 10 year old model route, but with two small children, and the amount of time I spend driving back and forth to Salt Lake, I wanted something that I would feel comfortable in without worrying about it dying on the freeway. Also, I didn't want to have to replace it soon. I hate car shopping. However, I love my SUV and I'm glad we went that route instead of the minivan route (nothing against minvans for all you minivan drivers out there. It's personal preference that has a lot to do with how long my legs are. Apparently, they're insanely long), but gas is expensive. I just have to be cognitive of how much I'm driving and to where. So far, we've done really good. Pay them off already!
PLAN BETTER
This is our biggest budget buster. We have to buy wedding presents or shower gifts or new tires for the car and then we're back to square one. 2010, we're going to start building these little "surprises" into our budget so that we don't get sidetracked by them.
So there's my financial goals for the year. If you're looking to get on track financially, my first piece of advice is to establish where your money is going and how you can eliminate some of that overspending. Next, set up a budget (financial tips installment #2--coming soon) and lastly, think of some REALISTIC goals you can make that will keep you on track. Write them down and think of the steps you need to take to get you there.
I'm going to steal an idea from a friend, and update my financial goals quarterly.
Set up a budget
Pretty elementary, but to be honest, we've been basically winging it for a while. It's time to sit down and set up a budget that is (a) easy and (b) realistic.
Lower grocery bill
Our #1 expense overall is groceries. Every time I step into a store, I can expect to pay $50. If I have both kids with me, add close to $10. If Wade comes as well, it's even more. My goal is to lower the grocery bill by 25% this year. Right now, I'm concentrating on building up our food storage--a blog post for another day--so, it's a little high, but I'm anticipating by March, we're going to be cutting a lot of our grocery bill. The amount we spent last year on groceries is staggering. Dropping it 25% should be easy now that I'm more mindful of what we're spending.
Buy 0 new clothing items
Next to groceries, my biggest weakness is clothes. I LOVE new clothes. I've been in denial for a long time, but I own 25 pairs of pants. To be fair, none of them were bought at "full-price", and some don't fit. But 25 pairs for a stay at home mom that leaves the house maybe three times a week? Outrageous, much? So, in 2010, I'm vowing to not buy a single new item of clothing. If I "need" something, then I'll head to the DI. So far, so good. But it's been hard. I saw some really cute things on sale the other day, but I put them back. Yay for me!
Have both cars paid for at the end of 2010
This one is going to be tough, but I think we can do it. Both cars are 2005 models and I'm anticipating a lot of good years left. We've only had the Pilot for a year, so having it paid off in two is really good. There's really no excuse as to why we don't have the Camry paid off. They're good cars that I feel comfortable traveling in through that lonely stretch of I-80 that connects us to the rest of the world. When we first moved out here, we had one car that was running on a wing and a prayer. We replaced that one and ran our Subaru (oh, how I loved my Subaru) into the ground (215,000 miles!!!). When we were in the market for a new car, we could've gone the 10 year old model route, but with two small children, and the amount of time I spend driving back and forth to Salt Lake, I wanted something that I would feel comfortable in without worrying about it dying on the freeway. Also, I didn't want to have to replace it soon. I hate car shopping. However, I love my SUV and I'm glad we went that route instead of the minivan route (nothing against minvans for all you minivan drivers out there. It's personal preference that has a lot to do with how long my legs are. Apparently, they're insanely long), but gas is expensive. I just have to be cognitive of how much I'm driving and to where. So far, we've done really good. Pay them off already!
PLAN BETTER
This is our biggest budget buster. We have to buy wedding presents or shower gifts or new tires for the car and then we're back to square one. 2010, we're going to start building these little "surprises" into our budget so that we don't get sidetracked by them.
So there's my financial goals for the year. If you're looking to get on track financially, my first piece of advice is to establish where your money is going and how you can eliminate some of that overspending. Next, set up a budget (financial tips installment #2--coming soon) and lastly, think of some REALISTIC goals you can make that will keep you on track. Write them down and think of the steps you need to take to get you there.
I'm going to steal an idea from a friend, and update my financial goals quarterly.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Spiritual Thought Sunday--Quick and Easy
A few years ago, I read a book by the Dalai Lama. It was really interesting and full of all sorts of wisdom. Like, how he's a vegetarian 50% of the time. He doesn't eat meat every other day. Interesting. But, it was chock full of other things too.
However, I really liked this quote:
In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
--Dalai Lama
Think about it. Mull it over.
Interesting, isn't it?
However, I really liked this quote:
In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
--Dalai Lama
Think about it. Mull it over.
Interesting, isn't it?
Saturday, January 16, 2010
2010 Book Review #2
Book: Dog On It
Author: Spencer Quinn
Pages: 305
If you're a dog person--which, surprisingly, considering the two cats inhabiting my home, I am--you will LOVE this book.
Bernie--and Chet--of Little Dectective Agency and is called out on a missing person's case of a 15 year old. Mixed into the scene are a bunch of Russian thugs, a father deep in debt, and some other crazies that play minor parts. Pretty much PI normal.
But, what makes it so unique is that it's told from the viewpoint of Chet. A dog. And if you've ever had a dog, you can totally relate to the stream of consciousness that the book follows. It bounces all over the place. Also, dogs like to nap. And Chet was no exception. Especially during really crucial parts in the investigation when Bernie is talking to someone about the case and they're about to say something.
Grrr...
But a good grrr...
Because the book was really funny. And reminded me so much of my dog growing up I couldn't help but wonder if this is how all dogs think.
Loved it! Great, fast, easy read.
Author: Spencer Quinn
Pages: 305
If you're a dog person--which, surprisingly, considering the two cats inhabiting my home, I am--you will LOVE this book.
Bernie--and Chet--of Little Dectective Agency and is called out on a missing person's case of a 15 year old. Mixed into the scene are a bunch of Russian thugs, a father deep in debt, and some other crazies that play minor parts. Pretty much PI normal.
But, what makes it so unique is that it's told from the viewpoint of Chet. A dog. And if you've ever had a dog, you can totally relate to the stream of consciousness that the book follows. It bounces all over the place. Also, dogs like to nap. And Chet was no exception. Especially during really crucial parts in the investigation when Bernie is talking to someone about the case and they're about to say something.
Grrr...
But a good grrr...
Because the book was really funny. And reminded me so much of my dog growing up I couldn't help but wonder if this is how all dogs think.
Loved it! Great, fast, easy read.
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Wii Fit Plus
A few disclaimers: Nintendo did not give me a copy of Wii Fit Plus to review. This is of my own discord. I know quite a few people who LOVE their Wii Fit, so this is certainly just one person's opinion. And lastly, I am a very devoted exerciser, so please take that into consideration.
As I mentioned before, Santa brought me a Wii Fit Plus for Christmas. A friend who has been contemplating buying one asked me what my honest opinion of it was.
And so here it is.
I have heard about Wii Fit for a while now. And at first, I thought "wow, that'd be cool". But the reality is this: The Wii Fit is not going to replace my regular exercise routine. It will not keep me fit enough to stop killing myself in the winter by running in insane temperatures and resume running again in the spring time at my current fitness level. With that being said, there are a few things I do like:
Pros
Body Test Cons
Training Cons
If you're looking to lose weight, I'm not sure this is the route to go. For starters, you have to play it. You're not going to lose weight by it just being in your home. Also, you have to be able to judge how much you need to play it to lose weight. At $85 at Costco for the Wii Fit Plus, that's almost 3 months at the gym. And you'd probably (a) use the Wii Fit as much as the gym and (b) lose more weight at the gym provided that you went to the gym.
Since I don't live near a gym, and I've got a good exercise regimen set up on my own, the Wii Fit Plus is basically a glorified scale with a few moves thrown in there when I have time.
As I mentioned before, Santa brought me a Wii Fit Plus for Christmas. A friend who has been contemplating buying one asked me what my honest opinion of it was.
And so here it is.
I have heard about Wii Fit for a while now. And at first, I thought "wow, that'd be cool". But the reality is this: The Wii Fit is not going to replace my regular exercise routine. It will not keep me fit enough to stop killing myself in the winter by running in insane temperatures and resume running again in the spring time at my current fitness level. With that being said, there are a few things I do like:
Pros
- I do like how emphasis is placed more on your BMI (Body Mass Index--the ratio of your weight to your height) and not so much on just your weight. I think sometimes we get so caught up on that number on the scale that we fail to take in account how tall we are. It's more important to have a low BMI then a low number on the scale.
- The games are pretty fun. But they are just that--games.
- I was impressed with the Yoga poses, though I'm a yoga-tard and pretty much every pose I try that requires any flexibility is very difficult. Bonus for having the Wii Fit is that I don't have to embarass myself in front of others.
- Staying with the Yoga poses, I like how you have to concentrate on keeping your balance within a certain box on the screen because that seems to help me get the most benefit from each pose.
- In the Wii Fit Plus, you can customize a workout using the yoga and strength poses. That part is REALLY cool.
- The strengthening exercises were a little challenging and can be made more challenging by upping the reps and/or adding weights. Again, you're trying to keep your balance within a certain range, so you're getting the most benefit for your effort.
- You can input your activities for things you do outside of Wii Fit (Wii Fit Plus only, I think.) However, there's a big con on that I'll discuss under the cons.
Body Test Cons
- Intially, the game asks how much your clothing weighs. I don't know how much my clothing weighs. That would require me to get on my scale upstairs nekkid, then put on my chosen outfit for the day, reweigh myself, come downstairs, turn on the Wii and precede. That's a lot of extra steps. But, to be helpful, they've given you three choices--all customizable in case you really are obsessed with how much your clothing weighs and you'll endure the above steps. The options are: 2 lbs, 4 lbs, and 0 lbs. If I'm wearing workout clothes, I opt for 2 lbs. If I'm wearing my jeans, 4 lbs. 0 lbs is pretty self explanatory. But I know these aren't 100% accurate (except for 0 lbs.).
- After it weighs you, it graphs your BMI onto a pretty little graph and then either praises you for your weight loss or chastises you for your weight gain. Here's my beef: I'm within a very healthy range for my height. So, if I'm losing 2 pounds a day, it's because of (a) dehydration, (b) my clothing estimate is off or (c) I'm starving myself. We can safely cross of (c) because I like to eat. However, the Wii Fit should be smart enough to realize that someone who is safely within their healthy range is not going to be losing 2 pounds a day. Thus, it should stop praising me and telling me I'm pacing myself well to my weight goal and should tell me to drink more water. Also, a woman's weight will fluctuate 2-3 pounds on any given day. So it should stop chastising me if I gain 2 pounds in a day. If I gain 2 pounds EVERY day, then we have a problem.
- From the initial weigh-in, we move on to the tests to determine my Wii Fit Age. These are pretty rudimentary and I've yet to figure out how it can analyze my "real-age" based on how well I can shift from one foot to the other.
Training Cons
- In the yoga and strength exercises, you have to select each pose individually. Then you follow the trainer on the screen. At the end, it will rate you based on how well you stayed within the balance area on the screen. Then it ranks you against your last performance or against others who have done the pose or exercise. Finally, it will ask you if you want to quit or retry the pose/exercise. Click on quit and then you're back to the screen with all the poses on it. In short, a lot of work after the pose/exercise is done, just to get back to the screen with the rest of the poses/exercises. However, those steps are eliminated when you use the customizable workouts.
- The yoga poses really aren't that difficult...you know, if you're not a yoga-tard like me.
- The games don't last all that long. It'd be fun if they lasted a little bit longer. And they're pretty elementary.
- When you input activities that you've done outside of the Wii Fit, you are given three choices for how hard you worked. You input your time and it calculates your calories burned from there. However, the highest level only told me that I burned 360 calories for an 8 mile run I did--about 1200 calories according to my watch that knows how much I weigh and how tall I am and thus can calculate my calories burned accordingly. It would make more sense if the Wii Fit allowed you to pick from certain activities and activity levels and adjusted your calories burned to correctly reflect that. It has your weight and height stored anyways.
- Depending on how many calories you burn, you're given Fit Credits. I've yet to figure out exactly what these are used for. I recall reading that you get something for how many Fit Credits you earn, but nothing's been offered thus far.
- There's no way to go back and input activities for other days then the current day. That REALLY sucks because there are times I don't get on the bike until late at night and don't want to fire up the Wii just to put that in.
- The graphs are hard to read because it doesn't tell you what your BMI/weight was. Just a little dot that is connected to the previous day's and next day's dot. I like things in a list format so I can see that the weekends are bad for me because I tend to overeat, but by Wednesday, I'm back to where I was on Friday. Stuff like that.
- Positive Reinforcement was definitely not a high priority for the developers of the Wii Fit. Why would I want a game telling me I stumble when I walk or I'm overweight or I'm weak because my Wii Fit age is twice that of my real age?
If you're looking to lose weight, I'm not sure this is the route to go. For starters, you have to play it. You're not going to lose weight by it just being in your home. Also, you have to be able to judge how much you need to play it to lose weight. At $85 at Costco for the Wii Fit Plus, that's almost 3 months at the gym. And you'd probably (a) use the Wii Fit as much as the gym and (b) lose more weight at the gym provided that you went to the gym.
Since I don't live near a gym, and I've got a good exercise regimen set up on my own, the Wii Fit Plus is basically a glorified scale with a few moves thrown in there when I have time.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Cheese Chowder Soup
I LOVE cheese soups. Love them. And I'm always on the lookout for a good one. This one may take the cake for awhile, it was that good. Not Marie Calendar's Wisconsin Cheese Soup good, but dang close...(note to self: Find Marie Calendar's Wisconsin Cheese Soup recipe...) I found the recipe in the Amish Mennonite Cookbook that's been lingering around my cupboard for a few years. I haven't cooked a lot of out it, so it may become a recurring player in my What's For Dinner Wednesday segments. However, as it turns out, the Amish don't really eat all that healthy.
1--cook celery and onions in one stick of butter (see--not healthy). I didn't measure it out, but the recipe calls for 1 cup celery and 1 small onion. Turns out I didn't have an onion either, so I just sprinkled in some minced onion and called it good.
2--add four cups chicken broth. I didn't have chicken broth by the can, but I did have bouillon cubes, so I just dissolved four of those suckers in 4 cups of hot water.
3--add diced potatoes and carrots. I didn't measure that out either, but the recipe says 2 cups potatoes and 1 cup sliced carrots
4--Cook until tender.
5--add 2 cups milk and 2 tsp salt.
6--Mix 1 cup milk and 5 T flour in a separate bowl and then add to soup to thicken. I'm not sure how much it thickened it, because the soup was pretty runny, so I'll have to experiment on that for next time.
7--Stir in 2-3 cups chicken (deboned) (duh?), 1 cup velveeta cheese, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. I omitted the chicken because I don't like canned chicken (canned meat? Ew) and I didn't want to take the time to cook my own chicken. I estimated one cup of velveeta cheese to be half of a small brick (won't eat canned meat, but have no problem with proceesed cheese. Go figure.) and I didn't exactly measure out the cheddar cheese.
8--Heat until just heated through. Don't boil. (though I accidently let mine boil just a little bit and it tasted all right to me.)
See, not too hard, right?
1--cook celery and onions in one stick of butter (see--not healthy). I didn't measure it out, but the recipe calls for 1 cup celery and 1 small onion. Turns out I didn't have an onion either, so I just sprinkled in some minced onion and called it good.
2--add four cups chicken broth. I didn't have chicken broth by the can, but I did have bouillon cubes, so I just dissolved four of those suckers in 4 cups of hot water.
3--add diced potatoes and carrots. I didn't measure that out either, but the recipe says 2 cups potatoes and 1 cup sliced carrots
4--Cook until tender.
5--add 2 cups milk and 2 tsp salt.
6--Mix 1 cup milk and 5 T flour in a separate bowl and then add to soup to thicken. I'm not sure how much it thickened it, because the soup was pretty runny, so I'll have to experiment on that for next time.
7--Stir in 2-3 cups chicken (deboned) (duh?), 1 cup velveeta cheese, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. I omitted the chicken because I don't like canned chicken (canned meat? Ew) and I didn't want to take the time to cook my own chicken. I estimated one cup of velveeta cheese to be half of a small brick (won't eat canned meat, but have no problem with proceesed cheese. Go figure.) and I didn't exactly measure out the cheddar cheese.
8--Heat until just heated through. Don't boil. (though I accidently let mine boil just a little bit and it tasted all right to me.)
See, not too hard, right?
Freudian Slip
I was originally going to post a review of the Wii Fit today, but after something I did on Saturday, of which I haven't been able to replicate, I am going to have to change my overall attitude towards it. I'm still working on it, so plan on that tomorrow. In the mean time, feel free to laugh at my expense:
Thursday night, I gave my tenth speech in Toastmasters. This qualifies me as a Competent Communicator (who knew?) and I get some kind of pin or badge or swift kick in the butt. I can't remember which.
The tenth speech is an inspirational speech. The idea is to inspire people. I thought I'd go with Team Hoyt. In a nutshell, they are a father/son duo who compete in Iron Mans and Marathons. The kicker is that Rick--the son--is a quadraplegic with Cerebral Palsy. He doesn't have the ability to walk or talk, though he has a computer that he can hook up to "speak" for him.
Anyways, it's really amazing to watch. Here's a YouTube clip:
I could go on and on about Team Hoyt. I think the father, Dick, is the example of true sacrifice and endurance. I'm really in awe of them.
Anywho...
The main point I was trying to make was that we all have dreams that we think are beyond our scope or our ability. However, if we surround ourselves with people who will lift us, carry us when we're too tired, be our legs and our arms, we can achieve those dreams. They may seem impossible now, but we can make it happen if we want it bad enough.
Or something to that effect--I was winging it at that point. Which would explain what slipped out of my mouth next:
"We all must find our Dick."
And there it hung (ha) suspended in air as I tried desperately to recind the statement. But, it was too late.
Luckily, no one started giggling, and I concluded my speech and sat down. My dad said he didn't even notice my blunder. So maybe I can hope that no one else did either.
Which means (a) they are clearly more mature than me or (b) they weren't listening.
Thursday night, I gave my tenth speech in Toastmasters. This qualifies me as a Competent Communicator (who knew?) and I get some kind of pin or badge or swift kick in the butt. I can't remember which.
The tenth speech is an inspirational speech. The idea is to inspire people. I thought I'd go with Team Hoyt. In a nutshell, they are a father/son duo who compete in Iron Mans and Marathons. The kicker is that Rick--the son--is a quadraplegic with Cerebral Palsy. He doesn't have the ability to walk or talk, though he has a computer that he can hook up to "speak" for him.
Anyways, it's really amazing to watch. Here's a YouTube clip:
I could go on and on about Team Hoyt. I think the father, Dick, is the example of true sacrifice and endurance. I'm really in awe of them.
Anywho...
The main point I was trying to make was that we all have dreams that we think are beyond our scope or our ability. However, if we surround ourselves with people who will lift us, carry us when we're too tired, be our legs and our arms, we can achieve those dreams. They may seem impossible now, but we can make it happen if we want it bad enough.
Or something to that effect--I was winging it at that point. Which would explain what slipped out of my mouth next:
"We all must find our Dick."
And there it hung (ha) suspended in air as I tried desperately to recind the statement. But, it was too late.
Luckily, no one started giggling, and I concluded my speech and sat down. My dad said he didn't even notice my blunder. So maybe I can hope that no one else did either.
Which means (a) they are clearly more mature than me or (b) they weren't listening.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Spiritual Thought Sunday--Teaching Primary Outside the Box
I subbed in Primary today for some friends who are currently in Hawaii.
(I know!)
It's a new year, so new primary classes--which is good because their last class was a terror. And when I arrived there were 7 eager five year olds looking at me like I was Medusa.
But I calmed them down enough to at least get some lesson about doing what Jesus would want us to do into them before setting them free on a container of crayons and paper.
(Funny story--when I asked Josh what he learned at church today, he said "Jesus wants us to color." Wade piped in to say that's what he learned in Junior Primary and I said "well, that's what I'm teaching." However, this isn't our spiritual thought for the day, so continuing right along...)
There's a little boy in the class, Cameron, who has Down Syndrome. His family moved into the ward in Augustish. He's adorable, but he can be a little...challenging...at times. His mom stayed with him through class. But she left for a minute to go see what time class was over and he bolted after her. Luckily, I've put in all these training miles, so I was able to catch him pretty fast and drag him back.
And I thought I was going to have a screaming kid on my hands, but he was actually pretty good and sat on my lap. Which is a miracle in itself because most kids can sense that I'm not much of a kid person and they steer clear. But not Cameron.
So off to sharing time we went. And I felt comfortable enough to tell his mom to go ahead and go to Sunday school and she was so visibly relieved that she finally got a free hour or so at church that I was instantly happy even though deep down I was a little scared.
But we did really well. He slapped me a few times for not going to find his mom and dad, and that was a little strange, but overall he did good for only having been in primary for 2 weeks (he's been in the nursery, playing, for the last 3 years).
And in Sacrament meeting, he waved at me from across the chapel. Ahhh...heart melt.
The moral of the story is this: We are given opportunities to leave our comfort level and for good reason. Take advantage because you may actually learn more from outside your box than inside.
Have a great Sunday everyone and tune in tomorrow for what horrible faux pas I made at Toastmaster's this last week. You'll be sure to enjoy that story.
(I know!)
It's a new year, so new primary classes--which is good because their last class was a terror. And when I arrived there were 7 eager five year olds looking at me like I was Medusa.
But I calmed them down enough to at least get some lesson about doing what Jesus would want us to do into them before setting them free on a container of crayons and paper.
(Funny story--when I asked Josh what he learned at church today, he said "Jesus wants us to color." Wade piped in to say that's what he learned in Junior Primary and I said "well, that's what I'm teaching." However, this isn't our spiritual thought for the day, so continuing right along...)
There's a little boy in the class, Cameron, who has Down Syndrome. His family moved into the ward in Augustish. He's adorable, but he can be a little...challenging...at times. His mom stayed with him through class. But she left for a minute to go see what time class was over and he bolted after her. Luckily, I've put in all these training miles, so I was able to catch him pretty fast and drag him back.
And I thought I was going to have a screaming kid on my hands, but he was actually pretty good and sat on my lap. Which is a miracle in itself because most kids can sense that I'm not much of a kid person and they steer clear. But not Cameron.
So off to sharing time we went. And I felt comfortable enough to tell his mom to go ahead and go to Sunday school and she was so visibly relieved that she finally got a free hour or so at church that I was instantly happy even though deep down I was a little scared.
But we did really well. He slapped me a few times for not going to find his mom and dad, and that was a little strange, but overall he did good for only having been in primary for 2 weeks (he's been in the nursery, playing, for the last 3 years).
And in Sacrament meeting, he waved at me from across the chapel. Ahhh...heart melt.
The moral of the story is this: We are given opportunities to leave our comfort level and for good reason. Take advantage because you may actually learn more from outside your box than inside.
Have a great Sunday everyone and tune in tomorrow for what horrible faux pas I made at Toastmaster's this last week. You'll be sure to enjoy that story.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
2010 Book Review #1
These probably won't be weekly like they have in the past. Things are pretty hectic now that my chore time, computer time, reading time and nap miscellaneous time has been pared down to when Aunika is asleep. That little monkey! But, I'd like to review a book at least twice a month. We'll see.
Book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Author: Christopher McDougall
Pages: 304 pages
This book was SO interesting. I first heard about it from my older brother, who thought it was about runners from Africa, so I was very surprised to find that it was about a hidden tribe of Indians in Mexico's Copper Canyon.
However, the story was enthralling. The author goes deep into this drug runner's lair to find this mysterious tribe and their one "gringo" follower, Caballo Blanco (White Horse). His story is truly fascinating. Check out his website for some cool pictures. http://www.caballoblanco.com/
Interweaved in the story of this amazing supertribe of endurance athletes are tangents that spurt left and right. It was a little hard to keep on track, especially when all I wanted to read about was this crazy ultramarathon the author was going to participate in with the Tarahumara Indians and a few crazy, elite ultramarathoners from the states. But, naturally, the sidenotes were very informative.
However, there were a few things I took away from the book. (a) I should stop paying $$$ for my shoes and be happy with what I have. Maybe it will even help me in the long run. (b) Eat less meat. Buy chia seeds. Or, as McDougall put in his book, eat like I'm poor and (c) Running doesn't have to be punishment for eating and once you strip away all the gadgets and the gear and truly get back to your four-year old self, you're just one step closer to being like the Tarahumaras.
I probably won't become a barefoot, vegetarian ultramarathoner anytime soon, but if life could be anything like what the author experienced, it's tempting.
Book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Author: Christopher McDougall
Pages: 304 pages
This book was SO interesting. I first heard about it from my older brother, who thought it was about runners from Africa, so I was very surprised to find that it was about a hidden tribe of Indians in Mexico's Copper Canyon.
However, the story was enthralling. The author goes deep into this drug runner's lair to find this mysterious tribe and their one "gringo" follower, Caballo Blanco (White Horse). His story is truly fascinating. Check out his website for some cool pictures. http://www.caballoblanco.com/
Interweaved in the story of this amazing supertribe of endurance athletes are tangents that spurt left and right. It was a little hard to keep on track, especially when all I wanted to read about was this crazy ultramarathon the author was going to participate in with the Tarahumara Indians and a few crazy, elite ultramarathoners from the states. But, naturally, the sidenotes were very informative.
However, there were a few things I took away from the book. (a) I should stop paying $$$ for my shoes and be happy with what I have. Maybe it will even help me in the long run. (b) Eat less meat. Buy chia seeds. Or, as McDougall put in his book, eat like I'm poor and (c) Running doesn't have to be punishment for eating and once you strip away all the gadgets and the gear and truly get back to your four-year old self, you're just one step closer to being like the Tarahumaras.
I probably won't become a barefoot, vegetarian ultramarathoner anytime soon, but if life could be anything like what the author experienced, it's tempting.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Sweet Pork and Rice Tortilla Things
Shocker: I love simplicity. I don't want any recipe that has a thousand ingredients that I can only find at specialty shops. Give me something fast, easy, and tastes good and I'm a happy girl.
Enter in this week's new recipe. This is somewhat adapted from a friend (the pork), my sister-in-law (the rice), and my neighbor (the tortillas).
I took a frozen pork roast, plopped it in the crockpot, dumped a can of enchilada sauce on top (I used a big can, but I wonder if it was too much, though Wade liked it), put in about 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, turned it on high (I never remember to start dinner at 8 am like I should when I'm using a crockpot. It's usually 2 pm.) and went about the rest of my day.
For the rice, I made rice in the rice cooker then stuck it in a fry pan with some olive oil (just enough to slick it up), fried it for a minute or two, added a can of chicken broth and about 2/3 cup sugar and cooked it until the rice wasn't runny anymore. Maybe 10 minutes. My sister-in-law cooks the rice in the sugar and chicken broth.
I fried some tortillas on the stove (I used precooked ones, though I know people swear by the uncooked ones), put some cheddar cheese on the tortillas until it melted and pulled them off when they were nice and toasty.
Layer the rice, pork and add some more cheddar cheese if you desire and there you have it. Voila!
Makes great leftovers too.
Enter in this week's new recipe. This is somewhat adapted from a friend (the pork), my sister-in-law (the rice), and my neighbor (the tortillas).
I took a frozen pork roast, plopped it in the crockpot, dumped a can of enchilada sauce on top (I used a big can, but I wonder if it was too much, though Wade liked it), put in about 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, turned it on high (I never remember to start dinner at 8 am like I should when I'm using a crockpot. It's usually 2 pm.) and went about the rest of my day.
For the rice, I made rice in the rice cooker then stuck it in a fry pan with some olive oil (just enough to slick it up), fried it for a minute or two, added a can of chicken broth and about 2/3 cup sugar and cooked it until the rice wasn't runny anymore. Maybe 10 minutes. My sister-in-law cooks the rice in the sugar and chicken broth.
I fried some tortillas on the stove (I used precooked ones, though I know people swear by the uncooked ones), put some cheddar cheese on the tortillas until it melted and pulled them off when they were nice and toasty.
Layer the rice, pork and add some more cheddar cheese if you desire and there you have it. Voila!
Makes great leftovers too.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Spirtual Thought Sunday: The Book of Lego
We had originally hedged our bets that a change to the 11:00 church schedule from the 9:00 church schedule would help Josh out with his...reluctance...to go to church.
We were sorely disappointed.
However, once we got to church and he realized he was the ONLY person in his underwear, he was more than willing to put on clothes.
2010: Parents--1, Josh--0.
And so begins my Spritual Sunday Thoughts. Which, in hindsight, might not always be that spiritual. But I'll see what I can do.
Sometimes you wonder if you're teaching your kids right. I know there's a lot of things that we need to buckle down and do regarding religion and church and spirituality, and I would like to start working on those things this year. Like family scripture study and prayers and Family Home Evening.
Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming though.
So I'm always happy when Josh picks things up at church and shares them with us. Like his little song after church:
Jesus died. Went to Hell.
Jesus died. Went to Hell.
Clearly, we have some work to do.
But I LOVED this little thing he made during sacrament meeting:
John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"
Josh(ua) 1:4 "From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast."
Lego 10:100 "No, I will not take his hands off. Put your Lego man back together. Where's his head?"
All things considered, I don't think we're doing so bad.
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
—Proverbs 22:6
We were sorely disappointed.
However, once we got to church and he realized he was the ONLY person in his underwear, he was more than willing to put on clothes.
2010: Parents--1, Josh--0.
And so begins my Spritual Sunday Thoughts. Which, in hindsight, might not always be that spiritual. But I'll see what I can do.
Sometimes you wonder if you're teaching your kids right. I know there's a lot of things that we need to buckle down and do regarding religion and church and spirituality, and I would like to start working on those things this year. Like family scripture study and prayers and Family Home Evening.
Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming though.
So I'm always happy when Josh picks things up at church and shares them with us. Like his little song after church:
Jesus died. Went to Hell.
Jesus died. Went to Hell.
Clearly, we have some work to do.
But I LOVED this little thing he made during sacrament meeting:
John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"
Josh(ua) 1:4 "From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast."
Lego 10:100 "No, I will not take his hands off. Put your Lego man back together. Where's his head?"
All things considered, I don't think we're doing so bad.
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
—Proverbs 22:6
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Beat the New Year
New Year's Eve was the 32nd Annual Beat the New Year 5k in Sugarhouse Park. The idea is that you start at 11:30 and then "beat the New Year" by crossing the finish line before midnight. However, this is no walk in the park (literally). Sugarhouse Park is the location of the high school regional cross-country championships for a reason. And mainly that reason is that it's hilly. Very, very hilly. Coupled with a late start smack dab in the middle of a holiday season centering around food and chocolate and you have a recipe for a very difficult run.
Since I started running about 3 1/2 years ago, I've wanted to do this race. BUT I didn't want to do it if I couldn't guarantee that I would come in under 30 minutes. If you come in under 30 minutes you get a plaque. And initially, I figured, only the diehards run on New Year's Eve at 11:30 at night. So if you were over 30 minutes, perhaps you'd be the ONLY one over 30 minutes.
And you might possibly die from embarassment.
So this year was my year. I'm consistently below a thirty minute 5k and I had coerced BOTH brothers this time to run it with me so I wasn't (a) alone or (b) last.
At first it was a joke. I thought for sure that one or both brothers would drop out sometime in November. If that didn't happen, I figured neither sister-in-law would allow their husbands to embark on such a stupid journey.
Yet, Thursday night found the three of us at my mom's house, laying low until it was time to leave. By laying low, I mean that we were jamming it up on Guitar Hero for the Wii
See what I mean?
Scott walked in and instantly blew us away. It's the story of my life and I was praying that it wouldn't be the story of my race.
At 10 pm, we took a picture of the three of us and left for the park.
To be honest, I thought there'd be 50 people there. I kept telling Eric (my older brother) that he wouldn't come in last place, but secretly inside, there was a little nagging voice that kept saying "but, he very well could..."
When we arrived there were SWARMS of people. Crazy, half-naked people. Apparently, I was overdressed as I saw more than one person walking around in a bikini.
A bikini? December 31st? Utah?
Remember my post about the running skirts? Well, I wrote that before having encountered runners in bikinis. Because I will go on the record as saying that it doesn't matter how good you look in a bikini, you should NEVER run a race in one. Bikinis are not running attire. They don't even pretend to be running attire. Your backside does not look good when it's flying at a 7:00 pace. It doesn't look good when it's jogging at a 10:00 pace, and it most certainly does not look good when it's meandering at a 12:00 pace.
I'm almost certain that had the girls taken the time to turn to the side when they doned their bikini for the race and practiced running in place and saw what I was seeing, they would most definitely not have chosen that particular outfit.
In addition to the bikinis, I saw a guy in a speedo, a turtle, Bill Clinton, a gorilla, and a banana split. Three girls were a scoop of ice cream each and they all carried a banana made out of plywood.
That takes a lot of dedication since you can only run as fast as the slowest runner, and that plywood banana probably got pretty heavy around 1/2 mile (reminder: a 5k is 3.12 miles).
Wade saw someone in a speedo who was barefoot.
Barefoot? December 31st? Utah?
I really liked the girl standing around the check-in building in shorts and a sports bra, hugging herself to stay warm, her teeth chattering like mad. "You know, you don't have to run this race half naked, right? You could put on clothes. Even a shirt might help." I wanted to say, but opted to keep my mouth shut. I mean, it's Utah on December 31st. If you don't know any better than you deserve to be cold.
These people are NUTS. I just wish I would've had the foresight to bring the camera WITH me.
The course started about 1/3 mile from the finish line, and then looped twice around the park from the finish line. Most of that 1/3 mile to the finish line was uphill and we had to run it three times. However, the weather was perfect! Almost a heat wave--at 32 degrees--from the 10 degrees I was use to. I started off really good and felt confident that I smoked Scott up the hill. As we rounded the bend to start downhill, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I looked to my right and there he was.
"How far have we gone?" He asked.
Grrrr....
I followed behind him for a ways then overtook him on the next big hill. We went around for another loop and then began our final ascent up the dreaded hill to the finish line. It wasn't until Wade, who didn't see me pass, yelled out "Go Woody" that I realized how very close Scott was to beating me. I crossed the finish line and then immediately felt a tap on my shoulder that felt vaguely familiar. I turned around and there he was, a mere two seconds behind me.
But, I did cross before him. And that's all that matters.
And while we technically didn't beat midnight--they were late starting and I saw the fireworks around the valley going off as I made my final trip up the hill--we beat 30 minutes and we got our plaques.
Eric finished his FIRST 5k really strong. He didn't beat 30 minutes but he still did really well.
Here's a picture of us at the finish:
It was a really fun race with a lot of crazy people. I overheard one guy say this was his 27th straight year. And it was reassuring to know that there are a few (hundred) diehards out there who would rather run a 5k on New Year's Eve then stay home and watch a movie.
Since I started running about 3 1/2 years ago, I've wanted to do this race. BUT I didn't want to do it if I couldn't guarantee that I would come in under 30 minutes. If you come in under 30 minutes you get a plaque. And initially, I figured, only the diehards run on New Year's Eve at 11:30 at night. So if you were over 30 minutes, perhaps you'd be the ONLY one over 30 minutes.
And you might possibly die from embarassment.
So this year was my year. I'm consistently below a thirty minute 5k and I had coerced BOTH brothers this time to run it with me so I wasn't (a) alone or (b) last.
At first it was a joke. I thought for sure that one or both brothers would drop out sometime in November. If that didn't happen, I figured neither sister-in-law would allow their husbands to embark on such a stupid journey.
Yet, Thursday night found the three of us at my mom's house, laying low until it was time to leave. By laying low, I mean that we were jamming it up on Guitar Hero for the Wii
Scott walked in and instantly blew us away. It's the story of my life and I was praying that it wouldn't be the story of my race.
At 10 pm, we took a picture of the three of us and left for the park.
To be honest, I thought there'd be 50 people there. I kept telling Eric (my older brother) that he wouldn't come in last place, but secretly inside, there was a little nagging voice that kept saying "but, he very well could..."
When we arrived there were SWARMS of people. Crazy, half-naked people. Apparently, I was overdressed as I saw more than one person walking around in a bikini.
A bikini? December 31st? Utah?
Remember my post about the running skirts? Well, I wrote that before having encountered runners in bikinis. Because I will go on the record as saying that it doesn't matter how good you look in a bikini, you should NEVER run a race in one. Bikinis are not running attire. They don't even pretend to be running attire. Your backside does not look good when it's flying at a 7:00 pace. It doesn't look good when it's jogging at a 10:00 pace, and it most certainly does not look good when it's meandering at a 12:00 pace.
I'm almost certain that had the girls taken the time to turn to the side when they doned their bikini for the race and practiced running in place and saw what I was seeing, they would most definitely not have chosen that particular outfit.
In addition to the bikinis, I saw a guy in a speedo, a turtle, Bill Clinton, a gorilla, and a banana split. Three girls were a scoop of ice cream each and they all carried a banana made out of plywood.
That takes a lot of dedication since you can only run as fast as the slowest runner, and that plywood banana probably got pretty heavy around 1/2 mile (reminder: a 5k is 3.12 miles).
Wade saw someone in a speedo who was barefoot.
Barefoot? December 31st? Utah?
I really liked the girl standing around the check-in building in shorts and a sports bra, hugging herself to stay warm, her teeth chattering like mad. "You know, you don't have to run this race half naked, right? You could put on clothes. Even a shirt might help." I wanted to say, but opted to keep my mouth shut. I mean, it's Utah on December 31st. If you don't know any better than you deserve to be cold.
These people are NUTS. I just wish I would've had the foresight to bring the camera WITH me.
The course started about 1/3 mile from the finish line, and then looped twice around the park from the finish line. Most of that 1/3 mile to the finish line was uphill and we had to run it three times. However, the weather was perfect! Almost a heat wave--at 32 degrees--from the 10 degrees I was use to. I started off really good and felt confident that I smoked Scott up the hill. As we rounded the bend to start downhill, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I looked to my right and there he was.
"How far have we gone?" He asked.
Grrrr....
I followed behind him for a ways then overtook him on the next big hill. We went around for another loop and then began our final ascent up the dreaded hill to the finish line. It wasn't until Wade, who didn't see me pass, yelled out "Go Woody" that I realized how very close Scott was to beating me. I crossed the finish line and then immediately felt a tap on my shoulder that felt vaguely familiar. I turned around and there he was, a mere two seconds behind me.
But, I did cross before him. And that's all that matters.
And while we technically didn't beat midnight--they were late starting and I saw the fireworks around the valley going off as I made my final trip up the hill--we beat 30 minutes and we got our plaques.
Eric finished his FIRST 5k really strong. He didn't beat 30 minutes but he still did really well.
Here's a picture of us at the finish:
Friday, January 1, 2010
January HII
Since we finished our basement, I've been less enthused about our upstairs. We definitely need to make some repairs and update it.
So for January, I'm starting in the living room. There's a lot that needs to be done and it's not all going to get done in January. We won't be painting it anytime soon. Eventually, I want to put in all hardwood floors between the kitchen and living room, but that won't be until after we're done with babies and crawling because it hurts their little knees. But there's still some I can do. My plan is to:
--Repair window sills. Eventually, when we get to painting, we're going to put in the same thing we did in the basement; an actual window sill. But for now, we can recaulk to save some energy.
--Drapes. It's probably time we look like we're not just college squatters, but actual adults.
--Change out the hardware. We've never liked the gold, but we weren't going to pay extra for the brushed nickel, so we're just going to have to do it room by room. Besides we need a new front door lock, so we might as well update now.
--Change out the light fixtures. Hello, can we say UGLY lights? It's time they went too.
--Put up pictures. It's so bare and unpersonal. Time to put up the pictures of the kids I've been hiding away in drawers. (The pictures, not the kids). Maybe, I can convince Wade it's time to do a family portrait and we could even hang that.
Well, that should be a tall enough order for January.
So for January, I'm starting in the living room. There's a lot that needs to be done and it's not all going to get done in January. We won't be painting it anytime soon. Eventually, I want to put in all hardwood floors between the kitchen and living room, but that won't be until after we're done with babies and crawling because it hurts their little knees. But there's still some I can do. My plan is to:
--Repair window sills. Eventually, when we get to painting, we're going to put in the same thing we did in the basement; an actual window sill. But for now, we can recaulk to save some energy.
--Drapes. It's probably time we look like we're not just college squatters, but actual adults.
--Change out the hardware. We've never liked the gold, but we weren't going to pay extra for the brushed nickel, so we're just going to have to do it room by room. Besides we need a new front door lock, so we might as well update now.
--Change out the light fixtures. Hello, can we say UGLY lights? It's time they went too.
--Put up pictures. It's so bare and unpersonal. Time to put up the pictures of the kids I've been hiding away in drawers. (The pictures, not the kids). Maybe, I can convince Wade it's time to do a family portrait and we could even hang that.
Well, that should be a tall enough order for January.
#1 Goal for 2010
eat the New Year Update: I achieved both goals last night. And it was very, very close like I predicted. In fact, had Wade not yelled out from the sidelines "Go Woody" (Woody is my brother Scott's nickname), Scott would've passed me at the finish line. As it stands, I crossed about 2 seconds ahead at 27:46. It was a KILLER run. I'll post pictures and write more about it tomorrow because I have A LOT to get through today.
#1--Qualify for Boston
Then I started back up running this year and researched training and nutrition and all sorts of stuff. Then entered in two very motivated training buddies and we're slowly closing that gap. Some of us faster than others. But the three of us are getting there.
To qualify for Boston, I have to run a marathon in under 3:40:00, which is about an 8:23/mile average. This is no small feat for a female that is 5'8" and built like a soccer player, not a long distance runner.
Which makes the goal that much sweeter.
And harder to attain.
But this goal--qualifying for Boston--might just be the one goal that I have wanted more than anything else I can think of. I think about it ALL THE TIME.
See what's hanging on my wall:
I firmly believe that it's not fully about how fast you can run (though that certainly is a major player), but it's more about your attitude and your desire.
How bad do you want this?
And I'm here to tell you that I want it bad. Bad enough to be out running at 5 in the morning in the winter. Bad enough to let you all in on my goal.
Bad enough to push myself to the limit every. single. run.
So, with that being said, I know this is a pipe dream. And I know there are those out there who say this can't be done. Please keep your (negative) opinions to yourself because I don't want to hear it. Allow me to live in the haze that is this dream until I cross the finish line in St. George on October 2. Then talk to me on October 3rd and we'll see who won.
However, I'll take any positive comments you have. :)
2010 is my year baby!!
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