I think by now everyone knows Jared and I are ENGAGED!!! It is still a little surreal saying that.
Amongst the myriad of questions I have already fielded, a common one is " how did he ask you?" So, here it goes...
Let me back up to Thursday September 25th. It is Restaurant Week in San Diego so we made reservations at The Melting Pot. That place is so yummy but ridiculously expensive. We go during the discounted week. We are frugal like that ; ). We went to the one in La Jolla and got all fancied up for it. I was really trying not to think "this would be a good place to propose". Me being female, it was a bit of a challenge. Dinner was great and I only had the briefest moment of "dang. it didn't happen" on my way home.
Friday Sept 26 Jared cam over for dinner as usual. He had a long week at work so I thought it would be nice to make him a special dinner. In recent weeks he mentioned how much he likes Chicken and Dumplings (really, who wouldn't ?!), It was the perfect opportunity to make one of his favorite dishes. Everything was set up and ready to cook when he got here. The cooking time was only about 15 minutes so I didn't want to start cooking too soon. When he got here I asked him if he was hungry. He said "eh. a little".
One thing you have to know about Jared is that, when it comes to eating, he different levels of hunger. When he says something like "eh, a little" or " I could eat" , we have about 10 minutes before he is starving and needs to eat right.this.minute.
I took that as my cue to finish dinner. I got the dumplings in the broth and set them to cook and came back into the living room. I think we started watching The Big Bang Theory on TV. I checked the dumplings and they were done so I offered to dish some up for him. He declined. I thought it was really strange. It had been probably 15 minutes since I asked if he was hungry so I was sure he'd be starving. I thought it was odd but decided to wait to get my own food until he was hungry. The show ended and I again asked if he wanted dinner, He declined.
By now I was thinking "what is wrong with him? How can he not be hungry when it smells so good in here?". I asked if he had eaten anything after work and he said only half a sandwich. That was at probably 330pm. It was now around 7 or so? Maybe a little later. I decided to get my food because I was super hungry.
When I came back into the living room, the ring box was sitting on the coffee table. I actually didn't even notice it until I sat down no the couch. I think I froze. At some point I put my bowl on the table but I don't know when. I know my hands were shaking when I opened the box. I was going to be really angry if it were a pair of earrings.
I'm not really sure what was said. It is all kind of a fog. I know I said "It's really pretty" and cried. He didn't get down on one knee, which is totally fine. There's only about 18 inches between my coffee table and the couch. He wouldn't have fit without getting stuck. Now that I think about it, I wish he would've tried. It would've been so dang funny!
Jared is a very simple man. He's a man of few words. He's kind. he doesn't like a lot of attention. This proposal reflects all of those things and I love it. We once had a conversation where he told me not to expect some giant fairytale proposal. That might sound very unromantic (is that a word?) to some. There is a lot of pressure on guys to do these big, over the top proposals. Flash mobs, youtube videos, jumbo-trons at sporting events. The expectation is high. Oddly enough, that is something I have ever wanted. All I really cared about was the question and the chance to marry the man I love.
So there you have it. I am sure some people are thinking that it wasn't a very exciting proposal. That's cool. I don't need exciting, I need reality and truth.
I am surprised we didn't get any "it's about time" comments. Not a single one. THANK YOU for that. Thank you for the excitement and the well wishes. Thank you for not removing the joy of this by saying it was about time. I was actually dreading that. I had prepared to hear that from the majority of those that found out.
It has never been about the timing of others or when everyone else thinks we should get engaged, married, have kids. It has always been about Jared and I. When we feel ready, when God opens the door for it to happen.
I've already had more questions that I can list but here are some answers to some:
Have you picked a date: yes, Nov 7 2015
Are you going to start making babies: not until after we are married
Are you going to have kids right away: we haven't decided. We are focusing on this season of life for now and plan on enjoying it.
Where are you going to have it: I don't know yet
What are your colors: I haven't decided
I am sure people think I have had this wedding planned out since the beginning of time. I really haven't. Sure I had some ideas but tastes and ideas change over time. I am starting from scratch, really. I plan on enjoying the process as much as possible. I look forward to sharing the journey with you.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
Tinkerbell Half Marathon
Some days are good running days while others are not good running days. It is the nature of the beast. This is why a runner trains. You hope to get out those bad runs during training and be at peak performance during your race.
I started training for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon sometime in October. I was excited. BUT, the deeper we got into the holiday season, the harder it became to train. In the month of December I had a whole 7 days off. I was able to get a run in here and there but that was about it. I was able to get up to 7 miles. That was a painful 7 miles. Inconsistency in training aided in that pain. Add a cold on top of that and we've got an interesting road ahead. My cough kept hanging on and I was starting to worry I would have coughing fits during the race.
Mentally and physically I didn't feel prepared for this race. I was nervous. Really nervous.
My friend, Jamie, and I walked to and from the expo to pick up our race packets. When we got there I could feel a blister forming on the bottom of my foot. I was surprised. I was wearing shoes I've worn plenty of times. I didn't walk all that far. By that evening, there were blisters on each foot.
The race started and I stayed with Jamie for the first 2 miles or so. We got separated around the first water station so I was on my own after that. With each step I could feel the blisters getting worse. It is the most uncomfortable feeling!
I was actually on pace for the first 6 or so miles. At mile 7 the large blister on my right foot popped. First of all, that's a really gross feeling. Secondly, it stings! I knew it was only a matter of time before the ones on my left foot popped.
I was really starting to feel the fatigue and muscle pain. I tried doing a walk/run combo. 5 min run, 2 min walk. I really started struggling to finish those 5 minute segments. I walked most of miles 9-13. I didn't care how long it took me to finish. I just wasn't going to give up. During those last 4 miles I was really wishing Jamie was still with me. I needed the encouragement to keep going. There were moments when I started getting frustrated and disappointed with myself. I started to cry but quickly stopped myself. I was going to finish, no matter what.
I ran the last 1/4 mile into the finish line. I wasn't going to walk past the hundreds of people lined up. I was going to run. I was going to dig deep and have a strong finish.
This was , by far, the most difficult race I have ever done. My body was rebelling against me and reminding me that training is a necessary part of a long distance race. I learned that no matter what my body is going through, my mind will not give up. I learned that I can push myself to my very max, mentally and physically, and still reach my goal.
I started training for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon sometime in October. I was excited. BUT, the deeper we got into the holiday season, the harder it became to train. In the month of December I had a whole 7 days off. I was able to get a run in here and there but that was about it. I was able to get up to 7 miles. That was a painful 7 miles. Inconsistency in training aided in that pain. Add a cold on top of that and we've got an interesting road ahead. My cough kept hanging on and I was starting to worry I would have coughing fits during the race.
Mentally and physically I didn't feel prepared for this race. I was nervous. Really nervous.
My friend, Jamie, and I walked to and from the expo to pick up our race packets. When we got there I could feel a blister forming on the bottom of my foot. I was surprised. I was wearing shoes I've worn plenty of times. I didn't walk all that far. By that evening, there were blisters on each foot.
The race started and I stayed with Jamie for the first 2 miles or so. We got separated around the first water station so I was on my own after that. With each step I could feel the blisters getting worse. It is the most uncomfortable feeling!
I was actually on pace for the first 6 or so miles. At mile 7 the large blister on my right foot popped. First of all, that's a really gross feeling. Secondly, it stings! I knew it was only a matter of time before the ones on my left foot popped.
I was really starting to feel the fatigue and muscle pain. I tried doing a walk/run combo. 5 min run, 2 min walk. I really started struggling to finish those 5 minute segments. I walked most of miles 9-13. I didn't care how long it took me to finish. I just wasn't going to give up. During those last 4 miles I was really wishing Jamie was still with me. I needed the encouragement to keep going. There were moments when I started getting frustrated and disappointed with myself. I started to cry but quickly stopped myself. I was going to finish, no matter what.
I ran the last 1/4 mile into the finish line. I wasn't going to walk past the hundreds of people lined up. I was going to run. I was going to dig deep and have a strong finish.
This was , by far, the most difficult race I have ever done. My body was rebelling against me and reminding me that training is a necessary part of a long distance race. I learned that no matter what my body is going through, my mind will not give up. I learned that I can push myself to my very max, mentally and physically, and still reach my goal.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
My "Expertise"... 911
Today's Elf4Health Challenge is "Share your expertise". I thought I would educate everyone on the 911 system. I am continually shocked by the number of people that really don't know how it all works.
I've been a 911 dispatcher for almost 7 1/2 years. This isn't a job I ever pictured myself doing but about 8 years ago my brother gave me a nudge in this direction. I am forever thankful that he was sopushy encouraging.
So here goes... the good, the bad, the how to and the funny...
How it works: 911 is the universal emergency phone number in the North America. Other countries have similar 3 digit emergency numbers. Some even have a different number for each service requested (i,e, ambulance, police, fire. ). I strongly encourage anyone that it traveling to look up the emergency number for place in which you will be traveling. Better to have it and not need it.
When you dial 911, the call goes to your local Police Department. Some agencies have fire and police in the same building while others are separate. The initial Call Taker will transfer the call if necessary or stay on the line and query the caller.
I find it amazing the number of people that call that do not know their location/address or phone number. When dialing 911, take a minute to look around at your location. Here are a few tips:
1) Look for any street signs or highway mile markers
2) Find a piece of mail with address on it. This is very useful if you're at someone else's home etc.
3) Go outside and look at the numbers on the building.
4) Look for land marks that might make the area stick out. A big red barn, stores, businesses etc.
5) Teach your children their address, and your home and cell phone numbers
As a dispatcher, I have to know exactly where you are even when you don't know where you are.
Dispatchers have to ask questions. It is our job. Please don't yell at us or call us bad names. We are doing what we can to help you. When we ask "tell me exactly what happened" please feel free to leave out the part about being naked, just having sex, or anything related to bowel movents. You can save those gems for the folks that show up to help you. 😄
There you have it folks, the basics. I love my job and I'm always willing to answer questions about how it all works. I hope someone out there learned something new!
I've been a 911 dispatcher for almost 7 1/2 years. This isn't a job I ever pictured myself doing but about 8 years ago my brother gave me a nudge in this direction. I am forever thankful that he was so
So here goes... the good, the bad, the how to and the funny...
How it works: 911 is the universal emergency phone number in the North America. Other countries have similar 3 digit emergency numbers. Some even have a different number for each service requested (i,e, ambulance, police, fire. ). I strongly encourage anyone that it traveling to look up the emergency number for place in which you will be traveling. Better to have it and not need it.
When you dial 911, the call goes to your local Police Department. Some agencies have fire and police in the same building while others are separate. The initial Call Taker will transfer the call if necessary or stay on the line and query the caller.
I find it amazing the number of people that call that do not know their location/address or phone number. When dialing 911, take a minute to look around at your location. Here are a few tips:
1) Look for any street signs or highway mile markers
2) Find a piece of mail with address on it. This is very useful if you're at someone else's home etc.
3) Go outside and look at the numbers on the building.
4) Look for land marks that might make the area stick out. A big red barn, stores, businesses etc.
5) Teach your children their address, and your home and cell phone numbers
As a dispatcher, I have to know exactly where you are even when you don't know where you are.
Dispatchers have to ask questions. It is our job. Please don't yell at us or call us bad names. We are doing what we can to help you. When we ask "tell me exactly what happened" please feel free to leave out the part about being naked, just having sex, or anything related to bowel movents. You can save those gems for the folks that show up to help you. 😄
There you have it folks, the basics. I love my job and I'm always willing to answer questions about how it all works. I hope someone out there learned something new!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Elf Boot Camp
This year I am participating in the Elf4Health Challenge again. I had a great time doing it last year and I was so excited to be doing it again. We started 2 weeks ago but since I have been slacking with my blogging... I am sure you can fill in the rest ;).
These two weeks I am going to try my best to blog about my experiences. Yesterday's challenge was a circuit workout. Normally I just find one online and do what it says. I was feeling particularly "elfy" and creative yesterday so I put a little twist on it. I decided to call it "Elf Boot Camp". I don't know if there is any particular requirements for a circuit workout so I just did my best. I made this one up all on my own. I'm not going to lie... I am pretty proud of myself.
I did 3 sets of the workout last night before I started cough. I hope this cold goes away ASAP! I am over it. It is a pretty decent little workout.
These two weeks I am going to try my best to blog about my experiences. Yesterday's challenge was a circuit workout. Normally I just find one online and do what it says. I was feeling particularly "elfy" and creative yesterday so I put a little twist on it. I decided to call it "Elf Boot Camp". I don't know if there is any particular requirements for a circuit workout so I just did my best. I made this one up all on my own. I'm not going to lie... I am pretty proud of myself.
I did 3 sets of the workout last night before I started cough. I hope this cold goes away ASAP! I am over it. It is a pretty decent little workout.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Labor of Love
"You're Crazy" is something I hear pretty often. Usually followed up by "you're so busy".
I do my best (and usually fail)not to let those statements hurt me or annoy me. My life is my life and no one else really needs to be concerned with my schedule.
I will admit that I sometimes take on a little more than I can handle. I've learned over the years how to juggle my schedule. I think I am getting pretty good at it!
I am currently working on a fundraiser project that has earned a lot of "you're crazy" comments. I developed "Cookies For A Cure" a number of years ago. It's not an actual business. No business cards or business bank account. It is simply a title to mass cookie making and selling to raise money for something I care about.
I believe in God. I believe He gives each of us talents and we are given a choice on how to use them. Do I believe God has given me the talent of baking? It may sound ridiculous but I truly believe He did. It is a skill I have learned over time and I believe He has placed the desire in my heart to use it for a bigger purpose.
My current "Cookies For A Cure" project is definitely a labor of love. Although 80+ dozen cookies seem overwhelming to others, I find it exciting and humbling. I am thankful I am able to help a deserving family. I spend hours and hours baking, making royal icing, coloring royal icing, thinning the icing, filling the cookies with the icing and waiting for them to dry before I add the details. I absolutely love every moment of that. But the dishes... I don't love the dishes. I simply deal with them as quickly as possible.
Do you have a project that can you consider a labor of love? Surely I cannot be the only "crazy" one out there...
I do my best (and usually fail)not to let those statements hurt me or annoy me. My life is my life and no one else really needs to be concerned with my schedule.
I will admit that I sometimes take on a little more than I can handle. I've learned over the years how to juggle my schedule. I think I am getting pretty good at it!
I am currently working on a fundraiser project that has earned a lot of "you're crazy" comments. I developed "Cookies For A Cure" a number of years ago. It's not an actual business. No business cards or business bank account. It is simply a title to mass cookie making and selling to raise money for something I care about.
I believe in God. I believe He gives each of us talents and we are given a choice on how to use them. Do I believe God has given me the talent of baking? It may sound ridiculous but I truly believe He did. It is a skill I have learned over time and I believe He has placed the desire in my heart to use it for a bigger purpose.
My current "Cookies For A Cure" project is definitely a labor of love. Although 80+ dozen cookies seem overwhelming to others, I find it exciting and humbling. I am thankful I am able to help a deserving family. I spend hours and hours baking, making royal icing, coloring royal icing, thinning the icing, filling the cookies with the icing and waiting for them to dry before I add the details. I absolutely love every moment of that. But the dishes... I don't love the dishes. I simply deal with them as quickly as possible.
Do you have a project that can you consider a labor of love? Surely I cannot be the only "crazy" one out there...
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Rock N Roll San Diego 2013
Today's race marked one year since I ran my first half marathon. I cannot believe it has already been a year! The days leading up to the race have been full of reflection.
We started the morning off with some laughs. When a hummer limo pulled up in front of the hotel just after 5am, Kari says "oh our ride is here". Funny enough... that was our "shuttle" to the start line.
Just before the national anthem there was a moment of silence for Boston. Sitting here now, I have tears in my eyes thinking back to April 15th. Terrorists tried to strike fear in our hearts. They tried to take the innocence of our sport away. They didn't. Today 28,000 runners united and ran. Nothing was going to stop us. I proudly wore my "Run 4 Boston" ribbon, "Beat Cancer" ribbon and "Boston Strong" head band.
There was a quiet reassurance before the race today. A large law enforcement presence. Look outs on rooftops and all sorts of dogs and handlers walking around. I was so thankful for that presence today.
If anyone tells you running is 100% physical, they are very wrong. You see, there's this little voice in your head that doesn't want to shut up. It wants to tell you how tired your body is after 3 miles, how the twinge you once had in your foot it going to come back, how you "only" ran 9 miles to get ready for this race and that wasn't enough. Around the 3 mile mark, those were the things going through my head. So I did what I normally do... rebuke that inner voice. I tell myself to snap out of it and to keep pushing. I pray and thank God for giving me His strength to run this race. I remember that this is something that I love and I was ready for. That inner voice lost today, as usual.
I checked my watch periodically and knew I was a bit slower than I had wanted to be but I was ok with that. There were a few more hills than I had anticipated. I normally walk hills. Not today. I powered up those hills. I wasn't going to let that little voice back in. I walked way less than I have in the past. I can't run and drink water at the same time so I try to pair the two so I am not taking extra breaks.
My favorite memories from today (in no particular order)
1) A marine running in full gear. Back pack, helmet and all. I made a point to tap him on his shoulder and tell him thank you. I actually saw a lot of runners do that. One lady might have misjudged her shoulder "tap" because it almost looked like she shoved his shoulder. I know she didn't. She was just running fast.
2) A US Navy fire fighter running in full bunker gear (the big heavy turnouts they wear on structure fires), helmet and BA (breathing apparatus they were on structure fires). I also tapped him on the shoulder, high fived him and said thank you.
3) Around mile 9.5-10 I was struggling a little. The race benefits the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. I turned the corned and it was lines with purple banners and white signs. Signs saysing "thank you" or who we are running for etc. One purple sign stood out to me. "Remember why you're running". It was at that moment that I thought about Kayla and all she has been through. At that moment I dug deep and remembered this was yet another celebration run because she continues to be cancer free. I also thought about a fire captain that works for CAL FIRE and my cousin Joshua that have both been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona. It was for them that I ran. It is for them (and me) that I will continue to run.
4) I love seeing people on their porches, coffee cup in hand, cheering for all of the runners. They don't have to. They could sit inside with the TV turned up and be angry that their street is occupied for half of a day. There were people on every.single.street. Amazing.
5) I am a runner. I am still shocked by this. I am even more shocked that the farther I ran, the better and stronger I felt. I wonder if I all of that will every fully sink in!
6) Seeing Jimmy, Jessica, Justen, Alissa, Ali, Preston, Asher and Ansel screaming and cheering my name as I ran toward the finish line.
7) Running a major race with Michelle. She asked me if I wanted to do a 5K with her and Preston back in 2011. I have loved being on this running journey with her. We have different goals, training styles, paces etc but she "gets" me when it comes to running,among other things.
8) Ali was here!9) Free Jamba Juice at the fnish line. It was the bestest smoothie I've ever had!
10) Finishing my 4th Half Marathon in 1 year.
11) Being there to witness Veronica's first half marathon and Kari's second full marathon
12) Petting the black lab puppy after I picked up my gear :)
13) The enormous amount of support from my family and friends. You are all priceless
14) Riding to the start line in a hummer limo
15) Inspiring my brother Jimmy to start running. Who knew a baby sister could do such a thing?
I ran this race 12 minutes, 35 seconds faster than I did last year. My time was 2:32:34.
It was not my fastest half marathon (2:28:50 in Feb) but I am ok with it. I thought I would be disappointed but I'm really not. The course in Feb was completely flat. This one... was not. I think being only 3 min 44 sec slower than my fastest time while running hills is pretty darn good. I am proud of myself. It will just keep getting better from here!
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Street Preaching
Something really bugs me every time we go to an Anaheim Ducks game. There are always people out front with signs and bull horns preaching. I've also seen this at most of the races I've run in.
I am a Christian. I love God and Jesus with everything in me. I *hope* I show God's love in everything I do. I am not even close to being perfect. I am, however, honest about my faith. People who know me, know I have a relationship with the Lord and that it comes first in my life.
All that being said, there is something about street preachers that really bothers me. Perhaps its the signs that say " God punishes sin" on one side then "Jesus loves you" on the other. To me this sends a mixed message. You're telling people that God is going to punish them while in the next breath you're telling them that Jesus loves them.
Are there consequences for sin? Yes.
Does Jesus love you? Yes.
Does God want people to be alcoholics, druggies, liars, adulterers, greedy, etc? No.
Does God still love you despite those sins/imperfections? Yes.
I've never been an "in your face" kind of person or Christian so the bull horns and giant signs are a big turn off for me.
I understand their intentions. Especially at sporting events because there are thousands of people in a concentrated area so you can, potentially, reach more people in a short amount of time. I get it. You want to see people come to Christ and serve a mighty God. Do you really feel yelling at them is the right tactic?
The other night Jared and I were waiting in the security line at the Honda Center and one of the street preachers was arguing with people in line. Arguing. Not exactly the way to "win" someone over for the Lord. Neither of us disagreed with what the man was saying but we definitely disagreed with how he was saying it. He wasn't the first one I've seen acting this way. He won't be the last.
You can be passionate. You can be excited and bold and honest. Jesus was a patient teacher. He loved people. He loved through His words, His actions, His life and His death. How many times did Jesus take simple things like a mustard seed and turn it into a story. Jesus sat amongst the people and talked with them. Jesus loved the unlovable. I wish those with the bull horns focused more on the love of God than on the wrath. There is so much negative, anger, hurt, fear in this world. Why make God look like this angry God that just wants to punish people. Have you forgotten that sin breaks God's heart? Have you forgotten that God is merciful and loving? We are His babies. He wants to hold us close and calm our fears. He wants to give us an abundant life. Offer hope to people out in the world, not more fear. Think before you preach.
I am a Christian. I love God and Jesus with everything in me. I *hope* I show God's love in everything I do. I am not even close to being perfect. I am, however, honest about my faith. People who know me, know I have a relationship with the Lord and that it comes first in my life.
All that being said, there is something about street preachers that really bothers me. Perhaps its the signs that say " God punishes sin" on one side then "Jesus loves you" on the other. To me this sends a mixed message. You're telling people that God is going to punish them while in the next breath you're telling them that Jesus loves them.
Are there consequences for sin? Yes.
Does Jesus love you? Yes.
Does God want people to be alcoholics, druggies, liars, adulterers, greedy, etc? No.
Does God still love you despite those sins/imperfections? Yes.
I've never been an "in your face" kind of person or Christian so the bull horns and giant signs are a big turn off for me.
I understand their intentions. Especially at sporting events because there are thousands of people in a concentrated area so you can, potentially, reach more people in a short amount of time. I get it. You want to see people come to Christ and serve a mighty God. Do you really feel yelling at them is the right tactic?
The other night Jared and I were waiting in the security line at the Honda Center and one of the street preachers was arguing with people in line. Arguing. Not exactly the way to "win" someone over for the Lord. Neither of us disagreed with what the man was saying but we definitely disagreed with how he was saying it. He wasn't the first one I've seen acting this way. He won't be the last.
You can be passionate. You can be excited and bold and honest. Jesus was a patient teacher. He loved people. He loved through His words, His actions, His life and His death. How many times did Jesus take simple things like a mustard seed and turn it into a story. Jesus sat amongst the people and talked with them. Jesus loved the unlovable. I wish those with the bull horns focused more on the love of God than on the wrath. There is so much negative, anger, hurt, fear in this world. Why make God look like this angry God that just wants to punish people. Have you forgotten that sin breaks God's heart? Have you forgotten that God is merciful and loving? We are His babies. He wants to hold us close and calm our fears. He wants to give us an abundant life. Offer hope to people out in the world, not more fear. Think before you preach.
Monday, May 6, 2013
I Made Salsa!
Have you ever had a recipe looming in the distance? One you've wanted to make but you're just a weeeeeeee bit intimidated by it? No? Ok, I have issues...
We had a salsa contest at work for Cinco De Mayo. I love me some mexican food so I was all in. Here's the recipe I made. I took ideas from a couple recipes I found online and added my own little twists to it. Enjoy! Make it a day ahead so the flavors really jive together. It is WAY easier than it sounds. Don't let the multiple step deter you.
Shannon's Salsa:
8-12 Roma Tomatoes
1 medium white onion
2 Pasilla Peppers
1 Yellow Chile
1 Jalapeno Pepper
4 Cloves Garlic
1/4 C Cilantro
1/4 Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp Ground Cumin
3 tsp Dried Oregano
Ground pepper
salt
1) Preheat the oven to 450
2) Cut off the top of the tomato and slice in half length wise
3) Peel and cut onion into quarters
4) Peel garlic
5) Place tomatoes (cut side down) on a baking sheet (One that has a rim around the edge)
6) Please peppers, onion, garlic on the baking sheet with the tomatoes
7) Roast in oven about 30 minutes or until skins of peppers and tomatoes get some black spots and start to bubble a little.
8) Remove from oven and place another cookie sheet over the vegetables for about 10 minutes.
9) Remove skins from the peppers. Now is a good time to remove the seeds if you don't want hot salsa. The more seeds you have, the hotter it will be.
10) Place tomatoes (with skins) in a food processor and puree them to your desired consistency, pour into a bowl
11) Add Oregano, cumin, onions, cilantro, peppers, garlic to the food processor and puree to desired consistency. Add to the tomatoes and stir together.
12) Add lime juice and vinegar and stir until well combined
13) add salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp of each)
14) allow to chill over night.
It has a sweet side to it and a tiny little kick at the end. I don't like really hot salsa so this is perfect for me. I don't think anyone "won" the contest so I will just give myself 1st Place (just kidding... kind of). Enjoy!
We had a salsa contest at work for Cinco De Mayo. I love me some mexican food so I was all in. Here's the recipe I made. I took ideas from a couple recipes I found online and added my own little twists to it. Enjoy! Make it a day ahead so the flavors really jive together. It is WAY easier than it sounds. Don't let the multiple step deter you.
Shannon's Salsa:
8-12 Roma Tomatoes
1 medium white onion
2 Pasilla Peppers
1 Yellow Chile
1 Jalapeno Pepper
4 Cloves Garlic
1/4 C Cilantro
1/4 Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp Ground Cumin
3 tsp Dried Oregano
Ground pepper
salt
1) Preheat the oven to 450
2) Cut off the top of the tomato and slice in half length wise
3) Peel and cut onion into quarters
4) Peel garlic
5) Place tomatoes (cut side down) on a baking sheet (One that has a rim around the edge)
6) Please peppers, onion, garlic on the baking sheet with the tomatoes
7) Roast in oven about 30 minutes or until skins of peppers and tomatoes get some black spots and start to bubble a little.
8) Remove from oven and place another cookie sheet over the vegetables for about 10 minutes.
9) Remove skins from the peppers. Now is a good time to remove the seeds if you don't want hot salsa. The more seeds you have, the hotter it will be.
10) Place tomatoes (with skins) in a food processor and puree them to your desired consistency, pour into a bowl
11) Add Oregano, cumin, onions, cilantro, peppers, garlic to the food processor and puree to desired consistency. Add to the tomatoes and stir together.
12) Add lime juice and vinegar and stir until well combined
13) add salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp of each)
14) allow to chill over night.
It has a sweet side to it and a tiny little kick at the end. I don't like really hot salsa so this is perfect for me. I don't think anyone "won" the contest so I will just give myself 1st Place (just kidding... kind of). Enjoy!
Friday, April 26, 2013
Ragnar Relay, My Team
My favorite part of Ragnar?
Our team.
Abby, Katie, Melissa and I have known eachother since High School. We've shared our running and weight loss journies for a while now but this was the first race we've all done together. It was the perfect opportunity for a reunion.
Jamie I knew from work and Ramon I knew from mutual friends.
Ron, Jill, Heather, Chris, Catie, Ahman were all new friends.
The dynamic of this team couldn't have been more perfect. I cannot put into words how much fun it was to experience Ragnar with these people. We took care of each other during every leg of the race, cheered for every runner, made jokes and goofed off.
You'd think after so many hours together, little to no sleep and tight quarters; someone would get snippy. No one did. Not even once.
Every time Van 2 caught up with Van 1 at an exchange it felt like a family reunion. It was usually only a few hours between major exchanges but we were always so excited to meet up.
Running into the finish line with them was incredible. Over a course of 48 hours, they became more than friends. They are now family. It has been a week and I miss them. I am ready to pile into a van and run along side them again.
SDC-FEST... thank you for making this one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Thank you for taking care of me on the course and encouraging me when I wasn't happy with my performance. You hold a very special place in my heart.
Our team.
Abby, Katie, Melissa and I have known eachother since High School. We've shared our running and weight loss journies for a while now but this was the first race we've all done together. It was the perfect opportunity for a reunion.
Jamie I knew from work and Ramon I knew from mutual friends.
Ron, Jill, Heather, Chris, Catie, Ahman were all new friends.
The dynamic of this team couldn't have been more perfect. I cannot put into words how much fun it was to experience Ragnar with these people. We took care of each other during every leg of the race, cheered for every runner, made jokes and goofed off.
You'd think after so many hours together, little to no sleep and tight quarters; someone would get snippy. No one did. Not even once.
Every time Van 2 caught up with Van 1 at an exchange it felt like a family reunion. It was usually only a few hours between major exchanges but we were always so excited to meet up.
Running into the finish line with them was incredible. Over a course of 48 hours, they became more than friends. They are now family. It has been a week and I miss them. I am ready to pile into a van and run along side them again.
SDC-FEST... thank you for making this one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Thank you for taking care of me on the course and encouraging me when I wasn't happy with my performance. You hold a very special place in my heart.
Ragnar Relay, Run #2 & #3
I forgot to mention during the first leg of my race (5.4 miles in the heat) I was having technical difficulties withmy iPhone and the music I had planned for that leg of the race. It played the same song over and over. For 5.4 miles. Not annoying at all.
Second leg of the race was at night. Approx 230AM or so. It was a beautiful night. I had a short race of 3.8 miles. My teammates didn't have to stop. They could've gone straight to the next exchange. Much to my surprise, they pulled over just in front of me. ALL of them cheering for me as I powered up a hill. These people are amazing.
I killed that leg of the race. My fastest pace and fastest 5K time ever.
When we were done we headed to Torrey Pines to get some rest. We sprawled out in various parts of the van and "slept". Abby and I couldn't sleep so we were texting back and forth, planning the next portion of the day.
My stomach was not happy for the entire morning on Friday. I was extremely nervous about my final run of the day. It would be the longest and most difficult. 7.4 miles in the middle of the afternoon. It included a lot of turns, a steep hill and my team wouldn't be able to stop for me. Not to mention only having about 30 minutes of sleep in 36 hours. It was all part of the Ragnar fun though.
About 3 miles into the race I passed an adorable black and white puppy. I HAD to stop and pet her. I actually wanted to take her with me but I have a feeling her owner would've said no. I texted Abby when I was half way and I was right on pace. Then I got to Newport Ave.
I didn't see a sign to turn so I started up the hill. I could see another runner in front of me so I thought I was good. Until I got to the top. Here came that other runner. "This isn't right way" she said. Great. Anyone who knows me knows I am slightly directionally challenged. Long story short, I found the right hill. I ended up doing 8.6 miles instead of 7.4 miles. At the start of the second hill (the correct one) I met a woman named Linda. She wasn't sure she could make it so I told her we would do it together. We made it to the top and took a picture together. I remember thinking "this is what racing is about". Her teammate handed me a gatorade then I was off to finish the rest of the race. Later I handed another runner the rest of that gatorade when his legs started to cramp. I stayed by him and his teammate for the remaining mile and a half.
After I handed off to Abby, we headed for the finish line. The entire team met up so we could run into the finish line together. We wore Boston FD t-shirts to honor the first responders in Boston and pay tribute to everyone effected by the bombings. The finish line was emotional. I know Abby got choked up. I did as well. I am sure others did. We accomplished so much more than running a race. We pushed ourselves physically and emotionally. We stood for Boston and against terrorism. We survived Ragnar.
Second leg of the race was at night. Approx 230AM or so. It was a beautiful night. I had a short race of 3.8 miles. My teammates didn't have to stop. They could've gone straight to the next exchange. Much to my surprise, they pulled over just in front of me. ALL of them cheering for me as I powered up a hill. These people are amazing.
I killed that leg of the race. My fastest pace and fastest 5K time ever.
When we were done we headed to Torrey Pines to get some rest. We sprawled out in various parts of the van and "slept". Abby and I couldn't sleep so we were texting back and forth, planning the next portion of the day.
My stomach was not happy for the entire morning on Friday. I was extremely nervous about my final run of the day. It would be the longest and most difficult. 7.4 miles in the middle of the afternoon. It included a lot of turns, a steep hill and my team wouldn't be able to stop for me. Not to mention only having about 30 minutes of sleep in 36 hours. It was all part of the Ragnar fun though.
About 3 miles into the race I passed an adorable black and white puppy. I HAD to stop and pet her. I actually wanted to take her with me but I have a feeling her owner would've said no. I texted Abby when I was half way and I was right on pace. Then I got to Newport Ave.
I didn't see a sign to turn so I started up the hill. I could see another runner in front of me so I thought I was good. Until I got to the top. Here came that other runner. "This isn't right way" she said. Great. Anyone who knows me knows I am slightly directionally challenged. Long story short, I found the right hill. I ended up doing 8.6 miles instead of 7.4 miles. At the start of the second hill (the correct one) I met a woman named Linda. She wasn't sure she could make it so I told her we would do it together. We made it to the top and took a picture together. I remember thinking "this is what racing is about". Her teammate handed me a gatorade then I was off to finish the rest of the race. Later I handed another runner the rest of that gatorade when his legs started to cramp. I stayed by him and his teammate for the remaining mile and a half.
After I handed off to Abby, we headed for the finish line. The entire team met up so we could run into the finish line together. We wore Boston FD t-shirts to honor the first responders in Boston and pay tribute to everyone effected by the bombings. The finish line was emotional. I know Abby got choked up. I did as well. I am sure others did. We accomplished so much more than running a race. We pushed ourselves physically and emotionally. We stood for Boston and against terrorism. We survived Ragnar.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Ragnar Relay 2013, Run #1
I haven't blogged in nearly 3 months. Life has been good. Busy, mostly.
I am sure friends on Facebook got really sick of my posts about Ragnar. Oh well! Most people were probably thinking "What is Ragnar". So here you go:
Over a course of 2 days and 1 night, a team of runners run close to 200 miles between Huntington Beach, Ca to San Diego, Ca. The teams are either 12 person "Regular" teams or 6 person "Ultra" teams. The race is broken up by "legs" aka portions of the race. Each runner does 3 legs of the race.
For example, my team was a 12 person regular team. I was Runner 11. I ran legs 11, 23 and 35. Clear as mud? Good.
We, The San Diego County Firefighters Endurance Sports Team (SDCFEST), had 2 teams. A 12 person Regular team and an Ultra Team.
Our Team:
Runer #1 Ron
Runner #2: Jamie
Runner #3: Heather
Runner #4: Jill
Runner #5: Catie
Runner #6: Ahman
Runer #7: Chris
Runner #8: Melissa
Runner #9: Ramon
Runner #10: Katie
Runner #11: Me
Rummer #12: Abby (Team Capatin)
Thursday we picked up our vans and headed to J's house to decorate them. He was the captain of the Ultra team.
Our team was broken up into 2 vans. Van #1 had runners 1-6 and Van #2 (my van) had runners 7-12.
Poor Van #1 had to leave San Diego at 2am to be at the start line by 4:15. Van #2 left San Diego about 5:30am and got to our starting point about 8am.
I didn't start my first leg/ run until about 2pm. I was running along Temescal Canyon Road in Riverside. It was about 88-90 degrees outside. There was very little shade along my 5.4 mile route. It was very hot and dry. The course itself was mostly uphill. I was struggling. I've done 5 mile runs more times than I can count but this one was so different. Even running hills on a regular basis, this one was different. Our team vans were able to stop along some of the route so they could support their runner. My team stopped a couple of times but I was still doing ok. When I first started running I had a guy behind me and I was determined to stay ahead of him. When you pass another runner and they stay behind you it is called " road kill". He was my one and only kill for that leg. He'd get close and I'd pick up my pace. I finally told him " I'm not letting you pass me". He laughed and told me it was ok because I was pacing him (helping him keep a steady pace). We talked a little, joked around. We finally hit a small shady spot under a freeway. I walked that portion to savor the cooler temp. Thanks to my job I am aware of symptoms for heat stroke, heat exhaustion etc. I got a quick chill just before the shady spot so I capitalized on the other teams' offer for water or gatorade. It helped and I continued on. I had water and energy gels with me but I knew my body needed sodium. The last 1/2 mile or so was the hardest. I was really hot and the hills zapped my energy. I could see my stopping point at the top of the hill. I took a deep breath and dug deep. About the time I wanted to quit, a lady came up behind me, wrapped her arm around my shoulder and said "Let's kill this bitch. We've got this". I laughed. We powered up that hill and I handed off to our team Captain, Abby.
I was disappointed with my run. My mile pace has been in the mid 10's and sometimes dropping below 10 min/mile. For this leg I had an average of 12:40/mile. I cried once I got back in the van.
1) I completed a very difficult run that I never thought I could do.
2) I was really doing the Ragnar race
3) I felt like I let my entire team down because my pace was SO much slower than it should've been. I wanted to do better.
My amazing friend, Michelle, sent me many encouraging texts right after that leg of the race. I cried harder but my heart wasn't as heavy. Sometimes I need to remember that I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to have the fastest pace of my life. I simply need to give my all and leave it on the pavement. I absolutely did that on Friday afternoon.
Once Abby was done, van #1 was back on the course and we were off for a few hours. We grabbed dinner at IHOP, changed and headed to our next meet up spot. Lawrence Welk Resort was packed full of people waiting for their runners and/or their other van.
Friday was so much fun! We screamed, cheered, shook a cow bell and honked the horn for as many runners as we could. One guy was powering up a hill so we were cheering for him. Another team had a miser and sort of put mist on him. A second later he looked at all of us like we were absolutely crazy. Soon there after we realized he wasn't wearing a race bib. He was just some guy out running. haha oops!
We blasted music and joked about anything and everything. We supported each other. We asked each person "what do you need when you get to the exchange" and we had those items waiting for our runner when they arrived.
I talked to random people at the exchanges. Weather, courses, life, running... we talked about everything then went on our merry way to the next portion of the race, never to see eachother again.
Friday night we arrived at Lawrence Welk Resort to wait for Van #1 to finish. We attempted to get some sleep but it was just too loud. Sleepy conversations and a giggle fest broke out in the van. Everything and nothing was funny. I was so tired, I don't even remember what we talked about. Soon we were off on our second portion of the race.
I am sure friends on Facebook got really sick of my posts about Ragnar. Oh well! Most people were probably thinking "What is Ragnar". So here you go:
Over a course of 2 days and 1 night, a team of runners run close to 200 miles between Huntington Beach, Ca to San Diego, Ca. The teams are either 12 person "Regular" teams or 6 person "Ultra" teams. The race is broken up by "legs" aka portions of the race. Each runner does 3 legs of the race.
For example, my team was a 12 person regular team. I was Runner 11. I ran legs 11, 23 and 35. Clear as mud? Good.
We, The San Diego County Firefighters Endurance Sports Team (SDCFEST), had 2 teams. A 12 person Regular team and an Ultra Team.
Our Team:
Runer #1 Ron
Runner #2: Jamie
Runner #3: Heather
Runner #4: Jill
Runner #5: Catie
Runner #6: Ahman
Runer #7: Chris
Runner #8: Melissa
Runner #9: Ramon
Runner #10: Katie
Runner #11: Me
Rummer #12: Abby (Team Capatin)
Thursday we picked up our vans and headed to J's house to decorate them. He was the captain of the Ultra team.
Our team was broken up into 2 vans. Van #1 had runners 1-6 and Van #2 (my van) had runners 7-12.
Poor Van #1 had to leave San Diego at 2am to be at the start line by 4:15. Van #2 left San Diego about 5:30am and got to our starting point about 8am.
I didn't start my first leg/ run until about 2pm. I was running along Temescal Canyon Road in Riverside. It was about 88-90 degrees outside. There was very little shade along my 5.4 mile route. It was very hot and dry. The course itself was mostly uphill. I was struggling. I've done 5 mile runs more times than I can count but this one was so different. Even running hills on a regular basis, this one was different. Our team vans were able to stop along some of the route so they could support their runner. My team stopped a couple of times but I was still doing ok. When I first started running I had a guy behind me and I was determined to stay ahead of him. When you pass another runner and they stay behind you it is called " road kill". He was my one and only kill for that leg. He'd get close and I'd pick up my pace. I finally told him " I'm not letting you pass me". He laughed and told me it was ok because I was pacing him (helping him keep a steady pace). We talked a little, joked around. We finally hit a small shady spot under a freeway. I walked that portion to savor the cooler temp. Thanks to my job I am aware of symptoms for heat stroke, heat exhaustion etc. I got a quick chill just before the shady spot so I capitalized on the other teams' offer for water or gatorade. It helped and I continued on. I had water and energy gels with me but I knew my body needed sodium. The last 1/2 mile or so was the hardest. I was really hot and the hills zapped my energy. I could see my stopping point at the top of the hill. I took a deep breath and dug deep. About the time I wanted to quit, a lady came up behind me, wrapped her arm around my shoulder and said "Let's kill this bitch. We've got this". I laughed. We powered up that hill and I handed off to our team Captain, Abby.
I was disappointed with my run. My mile pace has been in the mid 10's and sometimes dropping below 10 min/mile. For this leg I had an average of 12:40/mile. I cried once I got back in the van.
1) I completed a very difficult run that I never thought I could do.
2) I was really doing the Ragnar race
3) I felt like I let my entire team down because my pace was SO much slower than it should've been. I wanted to do better.
My amazing friend, Michelle, sent me many encouraging texts right after that leg of the race. I cried harder but my heart wasn't as heavy. Sometimes I need to remember that I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to have the fastest pace of my life. I simply need to give my all and leave it on the pavement. I absolutely did that on Friday afternoon.
Once Abby was done, van #1 was back on the course and we were off for a few hours. We grabbed dinner at IHOP, changed and headed to our next meet up spot. Lawrence Welk Resort was packed full of people waiting for their runners and/or their other van.
Friday was so much fun! We screamed, cheered, shook a cow bell and honked the horn for as many runners as we could. One guy was powering up a hill so we were cheering for him. Another team had a miser and sort of put mist on him. A second later he looked at all of us like we were absolutely crazy. Soon there after we realized he wasn't wearing a race bib. He was just some guy out running. haha oops!
We blasted music and joked about anything and everything. We supported each other. We asked each person "what do you need when you get to the exchange" and we had those items waiting for our runner when they arrived.
I talked to random people at the exchanges. Weather, courses, life, running... we talked about everything then went on our merry way to the next portion of the race, never to see eachother again.
Friday night we arrived at Lawrence Welk Resort to wait for Van #1 to finish. We attempted to get some sleep but it was just too loud. Sleepy conversations and a giggle fest broke out in the van. Everything and nothing was funny. I was so tired, I don't even remember what we talked about. Soon we were off on our second portion of the race.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
50/50 Plan: Update
Week 50 has come and gone. I did not meet my weight loss goal in that time.
Strangley, I am OK with that. It was a goal, yes but it won't break me. I have lost over 38 pounds so far and I am still going strong. I've learned so much on this journey and I will continue it until I meet or beat my goal.
In the last year I have run 2 half marathons, multiple 5Ks, a 15K and a 10K. My mile time has dropped from about 11:20-12:00 min/miles to about 1045-11:15/min miles. A few seconds or even a minute may not seem like much but it means a lot to a runner. A PR (personal record) can be missed by 1 second. It is frustrating, trust me.
I've definitely learned the balance of eating healthy but enjoying what I eat. Most days I eat really well. I definitely have my days where all I want are cookies, crackers, chips etc. Occasionally I give in. I don't even feel bad about it. I work hard and I allow myself some freedom in what foods I eat.
The holidays were OK. I think I gained around 3-4 pounds. Honestly, I wasn't paying too close attention to it. I knew I could gain and I was ok with that, too. This is a life journey. I plan on eating well and working out for as long as I can. This means I can make those splurges and not feel guilty about it.
So, the journey continues. I am excited for what 2013 holds!
Strangley, I am OK with that. It was a goal, yes but it won't break me. I have lost over 38 pounds so far and I am still going strong. I've learned so much on this journey and I will continue it until I meet or beat my goal.
In the last year I have run 2 half marathons, multiple 5Ks, a 15K and a 10K. My mile time has dropped from about 11:20-12:00 min/miles to about 1045-11:15/min miles. A few seconds or even a minute may not seem like much but it means a lot to a runner. A PR (personal record) can be missed by 1 second. It is frustrating, trust me.
I've definitely learned the balance of eating healthy but enjoying what I eat. Most days I eat really well. I definitely have my days where all I want are cookies, crackers, chips etc. Occasionally I give in. I don't even feel bad about it. I work hard and I allow myself some freedom in what foods I eat.
The holidays were OK. I think I gained around 3-4 pounds. Honestly, I wasn't paying too close attention to it. I knew I could gain and I was ok with that, too. This is a life journey. I plan on eating well and working out for as long as I can. This means I can make those splurges and not feel guilty about it.
So, the journey continues. I am excited for what 2013 holds!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Living
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” – (John 10:10 KJV)
This scripture really hit me. Am I truly living my life and enjoying it? Are you? Life may not be perfect but are we taking the time to truly count our blessings?
I think it is safe to say that this latest shooting in Connecticut has rocked our Nation. It has taken our already broken hearts and beaten them down even more. I don't know about you, but on December 14 I felt like I shouldn't go on with my happy day. It felt so wrong to have fun, joke around and enjoy the day because precious, innocent people were dead. My heart was heavy that day.
Jared and I went ice skating that afternoon. We had so much fun. We are already talking about when we want to go again. Then we shared a delicious dinner. Although I was having fun, the people of Newtown were on my heart.
On the way back to his place, Jared and I got to talking. I told him how strange it felt to go on with our good day when something so horrible had happened. Then it hit me... the parents/friends/family of those that are dead would want us to live. They would want us to go about our day, spread love to others and not take one single moment for granted. This is an assumption, of course, but I am pretty sure at least some of them would agree with me.
Yesterday we had our annual cookie exchange. The house was FULL of our family and friends. The moment I got there I hugged my youngest niece(4) and nephew(2) so tight. The older ones came later ( 14, 13, 12) and I gave them hearty hugs as well. To me the teenagers are still babies too. I'm not a parent so I cannot begin to understand what you might go through when you lose a child. I am, however, an aunt. An Auntie that loves her nieces and nephews as if they were my own. I want to protect them just as their parents do.
I so enjoyed the day full of laughter, friends and family. I think it was good for all of our hearts. We took the day and we lived. We enjoyed the food, the company, the music and a whole lot of cookies. We were living and it was beautiful. I never want to take that for granted.
This scripture really hit me. Am I truly living my life and enjoying it? Are you? Life may not be perfect but are we taking the time to truly count our blessings?
I think it is safe to say that this latest shooting in Connecticut has rocked our Nation. It has taken our already broken hearts and beaten them down even more. I don't know about you, but on December 14 I felt like I shouldn't go on with my happy day. It felt so wrong to have fun, joke around and enjoy the day because precious, innocent people were dead. My heart was heavy that day.
Jared and I went ice skating that afternoon. We had so much fun. We are already talking about when we want to go again. Then we shared a delicious dinner. Although I was having fun, the people of Newtown were on my heart.
On the way back to his place, Jared and I got to talking. I told him how strange it felt to go on with our good day when something so horrible had happened. Then it hit me... the parents/friends/family of those that are dead would want us to live. They would want us to go about our day, spread love to others and not take one single moment for granted. This is an assumption, of course, but I am pretty sure at least some of them would agree with me.
Yesterday we had our annual cookie exchange. The house was FULL of our family and friends. The moment I got there I hugged my youngest niece(4) and nephew(2) so tight. The older ones came later ( 14, 13, 12) and I gave them hearty hugs as well. To me the teenagers are still babies too. I'm not a parent so I cannot begin to understand what you might go through when you lose a child. I am, however, an aunt. An Auntie that loves her nieces and nephews as if they were my own. I want to protect them just as their parents do.
I so enjoyed the day full of laughter, friends and family. I think it was good for all of our hearts. We took the day and we lived. We enjoyed the food, the company, the music and a whole lot of cookies. We were living and it was beautiful. I never want to take that for granted.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Ragnar Relay Series and 2013 Race Plans
I have an addiction... to running. I planned my 2013 vacation calendar around races. Yeah, that happened. In 2012 I conquered a half marathon. I never thought I would do that! So I needed a new goal for 2013.
Lucky for me I have friends like Abby, Kari, Missi, Michelle and Katie that push me to bigger goals. The newest racing adventure coming up in 2013 in the Ragnar Relay So Cal.
Q: What is a Ragnar Relay?
A: "Ragnar is the overnight running relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport. A team is made up of 6-12 individuals; each individual runs 3 legs. The legs of the race vary in difficulty and distance, from 3-8 miles, allowing elite and novice runners to run together. Over 2 days and 1 night, teams run across 200 miles of the country’s most scenic terrain. Pair that with crazy costumes, inside jokes, a great finish line party and unforgettable stories. Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant. We call it Ragnar." -from www.ragnarrelay.com We will start in Huntington Beach, Ca and end in Downtown San Diego.
There you have it folks! I am doing an overnight relay race. We are doing a 12 person team. This will be the first race Abby, Katie, Missi and I will do together. We went to high school together and each of us have had our own journeys in weight loss and running. I rarely use this word but I find it appropriate to say; this race will be EPIC! I am nervous but excited.
Other races on the Menu for 2013:
Jan 20: Tinkerbell Half Marathon
Jan 25 : Runs For Cookies Virtual 5K
March 2: Chelsea's Run
March 24: Hot Chocolate 15K
April 19-20 : Ragnar Relay
May 11: Girls on the Go 10K (maybe)
June 2: Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon
November 28: Lake Murray 10K Turkey Trot
December 26: Bumble Bee 5K
Wow. I didn't know I had so many lined up for 2013. There's a possibility I will do the Las Vegas Half Marathon with Kari and Abby in December but I will have to see how much it will cost and if I can work some overtime to cover the cost.
Lucky for me I have friends like Abby, Kari, Missi, Michelle and Katie that push me to bigger goals. The newest racing adventure coming up in 2013 in the Ragnar Relay So Cal.
Q: What is a Ragnar Relay?
A: "Ragnar is the overnight running relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport. A team is made up of 6-12 individuals; each individual runs 3 legs. The legs of the race vary in difficulty and distance, from 3-8 miles, allowing elite and novice runners to run together. Over 2 days and 1 night, teams run across 200 miles of the country’s most scenic terrain. Pair that with crazy costumes, inside jokes, a great finish line party and unforgettable stories. Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant. We call it Ragnar." -from www.ragnarrelay.com We will start in Huntington Beach, Ca and end in Downtown San Diego.
There you have it folks! I am doing an overnight relay race. We are doing a 12 person team. This will be the first race Abby, Katie, Missi and I will do together. We went to high school together and each of us have had our own journeys in weight loss and running. I rarely use this word but I find it appropriate to say; this race will be EPIC! I am nervous but excited.
Other races on the Menu for 2013:
Jan 20: Tinkerbell Half Marathon
Jan 25 : Runs For Cookies Virtual 5K
March 2: Chelsea's Run
March 24: Hot Chocolate 15K
April 19-20 : Ragnar Relay
May 11: Girls on the Go 10K (maybe)
June 2: Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon
November 28: Lake Murray 10K Turkey Trot
December 26: Bumble Bee 5K
Wow. I didn't know I had so many lined up for 2013. There's a possibility I will do the Las Vegas Half Marathon with Kari and Abby in December but I will have to see how much it will cost and if I can work some overtime to cover the cost.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
The 50/50 Plan: Update
I have to say, I am kind of on a roll. I knew this weight loss journey wouldn't be easy but I have so much support, it almost seems easy. I have to do the work myself but it is great having others around me that are on a similar path.
This month I started a 6 week health challenge called "Elf For Health". Every 2 weeks we are paired with an "elf". During those two weeks we encourage each other, send recipes and work outs etc. My current elf is Amanda. She's just the sweetest! I love getting emails from her and hearing about her two littles! ( 6 weeks and 2 1/2 yrs). It always amazes me how moms have time to eat healthy and/or work out. I can barely find the time and I have no kids. hehe.
We also have daily challenges. So far we've had these challenges:
Day 1: Go meatleass monday
Day 2: Send a handwritten card or note to someone
Day 3: Try a new workout
Day 4: Get up 15 minutes earlier to meditate/reflect/pray
Day 5: How many different colors can you eat today
Day6/7: Clean out your closet1 Fill a bag and donate it
Day 8: Track your fiber intake. Shoot for 30g
Day 9: Have a salad today and make your own dressing
Today was the day we made our own salad dressing. I was pretty impressed with myself for making one. It was incredibly easy. Here's the recipe for you! I only made a small amount but it can be doubled or tripled even.
Apple Balsamic Dressing:
1 Tbsp Apple Butter
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3 1/2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
fresh ground/cracked pepper to taste
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or cup with a lid. Shake it up and serve!
I paired this with a salad that had: Mixed greens, pomegranate arils, shredded carrots, apple, walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles. It. Was. Delicious.
I don't know why I don't eat more salads like this. They are so incredibly tasty, good for your and very easy to make.
I don't know if I am 100 % on track to meet my 50lb goal in 50 weeks but I am getting SO close! I don't care if it takes me 55 weeks, I just want to get there. Running has been great lately. I ran my first 10K race on Thanksgiving day and did better than I had hoped. The Tinkerbell Half Marathon is in about 6 weeks. I feel mostly ready. I just need to get a few more long runs under my belt.
So here's where I am at right now:
Current weight: 158.8 lbs
Total loss: 37.2 lbs
Current size: 10
I cannot even explain how good I feel these days!
This month I started a 6 week health challenge called "Elf For Health". Every 2 weeks we are paired with an "elf". During those two weeks we encourage each other, send recipes and work outs etc. My current elf is Amanda. She's just the sweetest! I love getting emails from her and hearing about her two littles! ( 6 weeks and 2 1/2 yrs). It always amazes me how moms have time to eat healthy and/or work out. I can barely find the time and I have no kids. hehe.
We also have daily challenges. So far we've had these challenges:
Day 1: Go meatleass monday
Day 2: Send a handwritten card or note to someone
Day 3: Try a new workout
Day 4: Get up 15 minutes earlier to meditate/reflect/pray
Day 5: How many different colors can you eat today
Day6/7: Clean out your closet1 Fill a bag and donate it
Day 8: Track your fiber intake. Shoot for 30g
Day 9: Have a salad today and make your own dressing
Today was the day we made our own salad dressing. I was pretty impressed with myself for making one. It was incredibly easy. Here's the recipe for you! I only made a small amount but it can be doubled or tripled even.
Apple Balsamic Dressing:
1 Tbsp Apple Butter
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3 1/2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
fresh ground/cracked pepper to taste
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or cup with a lid. Shake it up and serve!
I paired this with a salad that had: Mixed greens, pomegranate arils, shredded carrots, apple, walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles. It. Was. Delicious.
I don't know why I don't eat more salads like this. They are so incredibly tasty, good for your and very easy to make.
I don't know if I am 100 % on track to meet my 50lb goal in 50 weeks but I am getting SO close! I don't care if it takes me 55 weeks, I just want to get there. Running has been great lately. I ran my first 10K race on Thanksgiving day and did better than I had hoped. The Tinkerbell Half Marathon is in about 6 weeks. I feel mostly ready. I just need to get a few more long runs under my belt.
So here's where I am at right now:
Current weight: 158.8 lbs
Total loss: 37.2 lbs
Current size: 10
I cannot even explain how good I feel these days!
Getting Caught Up
Since I have been out of the blogosphere for about a month, I thought I should do a short recap of life's happenings.
The biggest things that have gone on are the annual family trip to Bates Nut Farm and celebrating Halloween with my guy.
I love that my family piles in vehicles and visits Bates Nut Farm. It is a family tradition that I never get tired of. I look back on previous years and I am in awe of how young my nieces and nephews were. I mean , Peyton wasn't even born when we started going there. Now she's almost 5! I love that my 14 year old niece is mostly "too cool" for a lot of the happenings at Bates but she's all about the horse drawn wagon ride. There's still a bit of little kid in there. And I think she is secretly a little bummed that she is too old/too tall for the pony ride these days.
The boys have just as much fun. Justen is still quite excited to find his perfect pumpkin and tackle the large inflatable slides. Tyler is still in awe of everything and just likes climbing over the pumpkins rather than picking one out. It was a good time all around.
On Halloween Jared and I hung out at my place and handed out candy to all of the littles that came by. I was feeling particularly festive so I made Halloween themed treats/dinner. Bat wing "soup" with bat wing and bunny tail dippers (chili cheese dip in a bread bowl with blue corn tortilla chips and sour dough dippers), Mummy dogs (hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls) and frankenstein krispy treats. Our super hero themed pumpkins were a huge hit with the neighbor kids. Green Lantern and Batman were deemed "awesome" by all of them.
For the third year in a row I made, decorated and sold "Cookies For A Cure" to raise money for the breast cancer walk. I made 80 dozen cookies. $2100 raised in the fight against breast cancer. It was so fun to do. And tiring and stressful. But I am incredibly thankful to all that ordered!
Thanksgiving was pretty mellow. Thanksgiving morning I ran my first 10K race. It was at Lake Muraay. My goal time was 1 hr 12 min. I finishedin 1hr 6 min. I was very excited about that! Thanksgiving day was spent with Jared's family in Carlsbad. A lot of food and football! A really great time with wonderful people. I love them dearly.
My family celebrated Thanksgiving on December 1st. That was the first day we could all get together. We ate too much and played some games. The Battle of the Sexes :Scene It game gets pretty competitive. Somehow the guys always win. The girls are pretty sure they know why, too... they cheat! Somehow the boys cheat. They have to! haha! Oh the fun we have!
Time is flying by but life is so good. I am feeling more and more blessed with every passing day.
The biggest things that have gone on are the annual family trip to Bates Nut Farm and celebrating Halloween with my guy.
I love that my family piles in vehicles and visits Bates Nut Farm. It is a family tradition that I never get tired of. I look back on previous years and I am in awe of how young my nieces and nephews were. I mean , Peyton wasn't even born when we started going there. Now she's almost 5! I love that my 14 year old niece is mostly "too cool" for a lot of the happenings at Bates but she's all about the horse drawn wagon ride. There's still a bit of little kid in there. And I think she is secretly a little bummed that she is too old/too tall for the pony ride these days.
On Halloween Jared and I hung out at my place and handed out candy to all of the littles that came by. I was feeling particularly festive so I made Halloween themed treats/dinner. Bat wing "soup" with bat wing and bunny tail dippers (chili cheese dip in a bread bowl with blue corn tortilla chips and sour dough dippers), Mummy dogs (hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls) and frankenstein krispy treats. Our super hero themed pumpkins were a huge hit with the neighbor kids. Green Lantern and Batman were deemed "awesome" by all of them.
For the third year in a row I made, decorated and sold "Cookies For A Cure" to raise money for the breast cancer walk. I made 80 dozen cookies. $2100 raised in the fight against breast cancer. It was so fun to do. And tiring and stressful. But I am incredibly thankful to all that ordered!
Thanksgiving was pretty mellow. Thanksgiving morning I ran my first 10K race. It was at Lake Muraay. My goal time was 1 hr 12 min. I finishedin 1hr 6 min. I was very excited about that! Thanksgiving day was spent with Jared's family in Carlsbad. A lot of food and football! A really great time with wonderful people. I love them dearly.
My family celebrated Thanksgiving on December 1st. That was the first day we could all get together. We ate too much and played some games. The Battle of the Sexes :Scene It game gets pretty competitive. Somehow the guys always win. The girls are pretty sure they know why, too... they cheat! Somehow the boys cheat. They have to! haha! Oh the fun we have!
Time is flying by but life is so good. I am feeling more and more blessed with every passing day.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Lauren's Ride Fundraiser
Most everyone knows that i have been talking about Lauren's ride since it began in early September. Sometimes things just grab ahold of your heart and take root. When I heard about what John Byrne was doing, I was impressed and touched. I was all in.
Having two older brothers, I understand how close the bond can be between a brother and sister. Especially older brothers and younger sisters.
I've followed John's journey since the first day.Every day they post a blog or update, I am amazed at how doors are opening and how many good people are stepping up to be part of it.
The Oakland Raiders have been a huge support for the ride and much to my dismay, the Chargers haven't returned any of our phone calls or emails. The original idea came from Dottie, the front office administrative assistant at Monte Vista Headquarters. On September 25th, she mentioned getting a bunch of Charger's fans together and taking a huge picture. I immediately loved the idea. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible for me to do something simple. I suggested we turn it into a fundraiser but we knew cookies and cupcakes probably wouldn't raise much. So my mind started racing. I told Dottie we could keep it simple. burgers, chips, water. Easy. My text to her was : "That's a great idea!! Wonder if we'd have time to put together a little fundraiser. Like sell burgers or something. That's probably too complicated though". Then it was on like donkey kong! Well that lead to cupcakes then face painting. Then someone offered to dress up as Smokey Bear (side note for those that didn't know.. the "the" is no longer in his name). Then someone offered a sound system so we would have music. The water was donated by the fire station on the compound. The Union chapter donated $250 to help with the cost of food. Everything fell into place. We had about 2 weeks to get it all together. 12 days to be exact. Because we were having it at a CAL FIRE facility, there had to be quite a few Chiefs involved and many approvals made. On October 1 we got the final approval we needed and we were off.
Today I went to Costco to pick up the burgers etc. While in line I was able to share with a couple people about Lauren's Ride. One of them made a donation right there.
Rain had been coming down most of the morning and all day yesterday. I was praying the rain would stop. I also kept having this feeling that no one was going to show up. Right there in the Costco parking lot, I prayed. I asked God to bless this fundraiser. I asked that things would continue to fall into place like they had been over the previous 2 weeks.
Tonight was more than I could have ever hoped for. The music was great, everyone was pitching in to help, the kids were having a blast playing with Smokey Bear, the kids got to ride in the fire engine, two engines from San Miguel Fire came over. When San Miguel Truck 15 pulled in, I looked at Ali and started crying. All I could say was "wow". The rain had stopped a couple hours before the BBQ started and people just kept coming. We even got a phone call from John and Tony! I had no idea they were going to call. Dottie knew and thought she had told me but I never got the memo. That was definitely the highlight of my evening. You can hear the deep gratitude they have for everything people have done. I have greatly enjoyed following John on his journey across the country.
Once we counted the money we realized how much we had raised. $1100!! My hope was for $500. We bought enough food for 100 people and we wanted to sell all of it. We definitely thought that was a realistic goal. When this first started I had the number $1000 in my head. I didn't think we would get to that but I really wanted to. My hands were shaking while I was counting the money. That total isn't the final amount just yet. i have a few returns I need to do and that money will go into the donation as well.
Thanks to all who supported this ride, fundraiser and my crazy ideas! And most of all thank you to God. He opened every door for this and blessed it. My cup runneth over.
Having two older brothers, I understand how close the bond can be between a brother and sister. Especially older brothers and younger sisters.
I've followed John's journey since the first day.Every day they post a blog or update, I am amazed at how doors are opening and how many good people are stepping up to be part of it.
The Oakland Raiders have been a huge support for the ride and much to my dismay, the Chargers haven't returned any of our phone calls or emails. The original idea came from Dottie, the front office administrative assistant at Monte Vista Headquarters. On September 25th, she mentioned getting a bunch of Charger's fans together and taking a huge picture. I immediately loved the idea. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible for me to do something simple. I suggested we turn it into a fundraiser but we knew cookies and cupcakes probably wouldn't raise much. So my mind started racing. I told Dottie we could keep it simple. burgers, chips, water. Easy. My text to her was : "That's a great idea!! Wonder if we'd have time to put together a little fundraiser. Like sell burgers or something. That's probably too complicated though". Then it was on like donkey kong! Well that lead to cupcakes then face painting. Then someone offered to dress up as Smokey Bear (side note for those that didn't know.. the "the" is no longer in his name). Then someone offered a sound system so we would have music. The water was donated by the fire station on the compound. The Union chapter donated $250 to help with the cost of food. Everything fell into place. We had about 2 weeks to get it all together. 12 days to be exact. Because we were having it at a CAL FIRE facility, there had to be quite a few Chiefs involved and many approvals made. On October 1 we got the final approval we needed and we were off.
Today I went to Costco to pick up the burgers etc. While in line I was able to share with a couple people about Lauren's Ride. One of them made a donation right there.
Rain had been coming down most of the morning and all day yesterday. I was praying the rain would stop. I also kept having this feeling that no one was going to show up. Right there in the Costco parking lot, I prayed. I asked God to bless this fundraiser. I asked that things would continue to fall into place like they had been over the previous 2 weeks.
Tonight was more than I could have ever hoped for. The music was great, everyone was pitching in to help, the kids were having a blast playing with Smokey Bear, the kids got to ride in the fire engine, two engines from San Miguel Fire came over. When San Miguel Truck 15 pulled in, I looked at Ali and started crying. All I could say was "wow". The rain had stopped a couple hours before the BBQ started and people just kept coming. We even got a phone call from John and Tony! I had no idea they were going to call. Dottie knew and thought she had told me but I never got the memo. That was definitely the highlight of my evening. You can hear the deep gratitude they have for everything people have done. I have greatly enjoyed following John on his journey across the country.
Once we counted the money we realized how much we had raised. $1100!! My hope was for $500. We bought enough food for 100 people and we wanted to sell all of it. We definitely thought that was a realistic goal. When this first started I had the number $1000 in my head. I didn't think we would get to that but I really wanted to. My hands were shaking while I was counting the money. That total isn't the final amount just yet. i have a few returns I need to do and that money will go into the donation as well.
Thanks to all who supported this ride, fundraiser and my crazy ideas! And most of all thank you to God. He opened every door for this and blessed it. My cup runneth over.
 |
| Some of the people that came out to support the fundraiser and Lauren's Ride. |
Monday, October 8, 2012
The 50/50 Plan: Update
Can you believe it is already October? Where has this year gone?
Honestly fall and winter are the toughest food months from me. Delicious pumpkin flavored breads, pastries, muffins, bagels. Apple muffins, scones, pie etc. Holy yumminess. Peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies, ginger snaps, pumpkin pie...
The thing is, you can still indulge in the goodness of fall and winter foods. Just sparingly. I've also started to make them myself instead of buying premade foods. 1) no preservatives 2) I know exactly is going into the recipes 3) I can cut back on sugars and fattening oils etc.
Just today I made jumbo banana nut muffins. I just tweaked it some so there's less sugar, egg whites only and unsweetened applesauce instead of oil. I haven't tried one yet but if they taste half as good as they smelled while baking, I am going to have one happy tummy!
I also just found an apple spice scone recipe on www.skinnytaste.com. Only 163 calories per scone! I cannot wait to try out this recipe!! Brew a cup of good coffee, add some warm cinnamon sugar cookie coffee creamer and we've got one amazing breakfast!
I've been in a kind of funk lately. I haven't given up or lost steam. I just have a "whatever" kind of attitude where this is all concerned. I feel great though. I know it will pass. A few of my friends have been in a similar funk lately so at least I know it's not just me.
I've been at this for 9 months already. It feels normal now, the counting calories and watching what I eat. It doesn't feel as labor intensive as it did at the beginning. I just strated training for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon coming up on January 20. I am really looking forward to the race. I am also looking forward to my 10K (6.2 miles) race on Thanksgiving Day and the Bumble Bee 5K (3.1 miles) on my birthday! Having races to do helps me stay consistent with running and working out. I have so much fun at the races. I am competitive but mostly with myself. So here are the most recent stats:
Weight as of 9/14/12: 165.7
9/21/12: 163.7
Difference: -2.0
Weight as of 9/29/12: 165.7
Difference: +2
Weight as of: 10/7/12: 163.4
Difference: -2.3 lbs
Total loss to date: 32.6 lbs
Yep, I gained 2 pounds one week. I don't sweat that though. If it starts happening multiple weeks in a row, I will take a look at what I am doing then tweak it. But one gain, no big deal. You have to accept that you will have weeks where you gain and you will have weeks where you lose 1/10th of a pound or lose 3 pounds. You have to keep pressing on. Look at the number, accept it, and move on. If you gained, check how much water you drank that week. Maybe you didn't drink enough. Or maybe you had too much sugar or not enough fruits and vegetables. Change stuff around and be more careful the next week. You can't take back or change that gain. What's done is done so move forward. It is a life long journey so there will be peaks and valleys. Stay motivated, friends.
Honestly fall and winter are the toughest food months from me. Delicious pumpkin flavored breads, pastries, muffins, bagels. Apple muffins, scones, pie etc. Holy yumminess. Peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies, ginger snaps, pumpkin pie...
The thing is, you can still indulge in the goodness of fall and winter foods. Just sparingly. I've also started to make them myself instead of buying premade foods. 1) no preservatives 2) I know exactly is going into the recipes 3) I can cut back on sugars and fattening oils etc.
Just today I made jumbo banana nut muffins. I just tweaked it some so there's less sugar, egg whites only and unsweetened applesauce instead of oil. I haven't tried one yet but if they taste half as good as they smelled while baking, I am going to have one happy tummy!
I also just found an apple spice scone recipe on www.skinnytaste.com. Only 163 calories per scone! I cannot wait to try out this recipe!! Brew a cup of good coffee, add some warm cinnamon sugar cookie coffee creamer and we've got one amazing breakfast!
I've been in a kind of funk lately. I haven't given up or lost steam. I just have a "whatever" kind of attitude where this is all concerned. I feel great though. I know it will pass. A few of my friends have been in a similar funk lately so at least I know it's not just me.
I've been at this for 9 months already. It feels normal now, the counting calories and watching what I eat. It doesn't feel as labor intensive as it did at the beginning. I just strated training for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon coming up on January 20. I am really looking forward to the race. I am also looking forward to my 10K (6.2 miles) race on Thanksgiving Day and the Bumble Bee 5K (3.1 miles) on my birthday! Having races to do helps me stay consistent with running and working out. I have so much fun at the races. I am competitive but mostly with myself. So here are the most recent stats:
Weight as of 9/14/12: 165.7
9/21/12: 163.7
Difference: -2.0
Weight as of 9/29/12: 165.7
Difference: +2
Weight as of: 10/7/12: 163.4
Difference: -2.3 lbs
Total loss to date: 32.6 lbs
Yep, I gained 2 pounds one week. I don't sweat that though. If it starts happening multiple weeks in a row, I will take a look at what I am doing then tweak it. But one gain, no big deal. You have to accept that you will have weeks where you gain and you will have weeks where you lose 1/10th of a pound or lose 3 pounds. You have to keep pressing on. Look at the number, accept it, and move on. If you gained, check how much water you drank that week. Maybe you didn't drink enough. Or maybe you had too much sugar or not enough fruits and vegetables. Change stuff around and be more careful the next week. You can't take back or change that gain. What's done is done so move forward. It is a life long journey so there will be peaks and valleys. Stay motivated, friends.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
The 50/50 Plan: Update
In just about 2 weeks I will be training for my second half marathon! The Tinker Bell half Marathon is in Anaheim on January 20, 2013. I am so excited for my next big race!
I can't even tell you how much I have been learning on this journey. A couple weeks ago I gained a pound at my weekly weigh-in. You know what my reaction was? "OH well.. on to next week!" What a huge improvement. A couple year ago the one pound gain would have crushed me. I am learning more and more than this has to go slowly. It has to be a permanent lifestyle change.
Trust me, it isn't easy. I IS , however, totaly worth it. If you think you can't do it then you can't. It is just as much a mental game as it is a physical game. Counting calories isn't always fun but you get into a rythm and figure it out.
If you need some motivation to get moving and shed some pounds, let me know! I KNOW you can do this! If I can, you can. Here are my latest stats:
Weight as of 8/24/12: 167.4
Weight as of 9/14/12: 165.7
Difference: 1.7 lbs
Total loss to date: 30.3 lbs!
I can't even tell you how much I have been learning on this journey. A couple weeks ago I gained a pound at my weekly weigh-in. You know what my reaction was? "OH well.. on to next week!" What a huge improvement. A couple year ago the one pound gain would have crushed me. I am learning more and more than this has to go slowly. It has to be a permanent lifestyle change.
Trust me, it isn't easy. I IS , however, totaly worth it. If you think you can't do it then you can't. It is just as much a mental game as it is a physical game. Counting calories isn't always fun but you get into a rythm and figure it out.
If you need some motivation to get moving and shed some pounds, let me know! I KNOW you can do this! If I can, you can. Here are my latest stats:
Weight as of 8/24/12: 167.4
Weight as of 9/14/12: 165.7
Difference: 1.7 lbs
Total loss to date: 30.3 lbs!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Celebrating 3 Years!
I'm only about 2 1/2 months late in writing this...
Thursday was a pretty low-key day. Jared came over to my place and I made us lunch. Italian Panini's. We watched a couple movies then got ready for our fancy-smancy dinner at Pamplemousse Grille in Del Mar. We've only been there twice but the food is incredible. And expensive. SO worth it though. I've been on track with my weight loss so I finally got to wear a dress I've had for 2 years. Jared's smile told me it was worth the wait. He looked pretty hot himself.. dress shirt, tie, slacks... Oh yes. He looked good! Our server was so nice and very helpful.
On July 1st Jared and I celebrated 3 years of dating. This year we actually had 4 1/2 days off together. A few days before our anniversary, we started by hitting up the Del Mar Fair. We aren't really into the terrifying rides so we stick to the exhibit halls and check out the many many products being sold. We particularly love the ones with free samples! OH and the mini donut booth!! Have you ever been to that? They make the most uhhh-mazing mini donuts that are hot and covered in cinnamon sugar. We may or may not have eaten a whole dozen. I had a $4 corn dog... or what I like to call a mini corn dog. It looked like half the size of an average hot dog. Lame! But when in Rome, have some fried food at the fair. Including a deep fried Snickers. Delicious!
Here's what our dinner looked like. Pictures don't do it justice:
 |
| Appetizer: Tempura Rock Shrimp w/Plum Sauce |
 |
| Jared's Dinner: Koby Beef burger w/ Truffle Cheese and Truffle Fries |
 |
| Jared's Dessert: Stone Fruit Cobbler w/ Oatmeal Crumble and Toasted Coconut Gelato |
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| My Dinner: Mixed Grille of Ahi, Salmon and Seabass |
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| My Dessert: Chocolate-Caramel Cake, Salted Caramel Sauce Vanilla Gelato |
Friday we were supposed to go ice skating but one of us fell asleep. It may or may not have been the blogger herself. I'm never gonna tell! At any rate, Jared made dinner for us and we lounged all evening. Those are some of my most favorite moments!
Saturday we had a "fun" filled day at the reptile show. Not exactly my cup of tea but my guy loves him some reptiles. The things we do for our men I tell ya! Only one near heart-stopping moment when a little girl shrieked. Moments before I had noticed a woman holding a tarantula and I was certain it had gotten loose, causing the little girl to freak out. I nearly bolted for the door. Thankfully the lady still had the disgusting furry spider on her hand. (Shudder!)
Sunday was our actual anniversary. Funny thing is, we had nothing planned for that day. We really didn't do much but we did spend the day together.
Every day I thank God for blessing me with a man like Jared. He is by no means perfect and neither am I. I could go on and on with the mushy, lovey-dovey things but I will leave it at this:
So many years I prayed, cried and asked God "why" He hadn't brought the right man into my life yet. On July 1, 2009 I knew exactly why He had me wait and I would do it all over again. Jared is truly my other half. He reads my thoughts, knows my heart, completes my sentences, hugs me when I cry, apologizes when he was wrong and loves me so fully and completely every single day. Thank You God for this incredible gift. I cherish it.
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