Girls Day Out!

                                   
This weekend is a scout campout, so Ron took the three boys overnight.  Just me and Miss Priss for most of the day today and most of tomorrow.  I got in the car right after they left with a couple of bagels, the baby backpack (which she is way to big for) and some water bottles,  not knowing where I was going to go.  I just knew I wanted to be outside.

We ended up in Snow Canyon.  I just parked at the first spot I saw and started off with the map.  I'm a horrible planner-aheader, and also very impatient.  Those two qualities combined make for what some more positive people would call "spontaneous,"  but it's really just bad planner plus very impatient.  Usually I get lucky on these adventures though.  Today was no exception.  I just let Sarah roam and hike on the Three Ponds Trail.  We also did the Whipple loop, which is really cool for little kids.  There's a little slot canyon to walk through that she thought was cool.  We found some secluded little caves that she played around in for 20 minutes.  She also learned the very most important survival skill for camping women...   the squat.  First try and not a drop of pee on her feet or pants.  She's a natural outdoorswoman.  I couldn't be more proud.   I finally had to just put her in the backpack and drag her out because it was getting late.  We spend the next hour at the sand dunes in perfect weather, running around on the cool sand...   Perfect day.  I would love to post a gazilion pictures of Sarah that I took with  my phone here, but for some reason they aren't going through email like they usually do so easily.   These are the ones I took when I got my real camera and sat down at the sand dunes.

These times alone with Sarah are becoming more frequent since Ron has been called as the scout advisor for the Deacons.  I really enjoy the time with Miss Priss to do whatever I want.  All day today I've felt like I am in heaven with no errands to run, no one to get to a lesson, nothing that HAS to be cleaned and nobody waiting at home for something to eat.  However, I have realized something about myself as the night started coming on.  That is that even though I am most comfortable alone, it's not good for me.  Alone with my thoughts and I can bank on ending up depressed.  I really need to stay busy and surrounded by my responsibilities.  I'll enjoy the day alone tomorrow, but I'll be glad when the stinky boys get home. : )

Sarah digs the Chariot.  It's more like riding in a convertible than a stroller.  The only problem is that there isn't a brake or a safety strap.  I have to pay more attention.  And the front wheels swivel, which make it so much nicer when turning a corner, but it turns sometimes when I don't really want it to.  Overall, it's easier to run with.

I'm debating signing up for the Red Rock Ultra again.  I feel the need to cross a finish line. 

HAIR

I have hair issues.  It makes me crazy more than anything else about me, and that really says alot.  I don't like it long ~ It's straggly and frizzy.  I like I okay short, but when it's short I get funny comments.  Mainly from men. "Why did you do THAT?"  I don't like it blonde because I have dark eyebrows and it doesn't look like it matches.   With bangs.  Without bangs.  Long bangs, short bangs... It's naturally dark blonde with some fairly light streaks throughout, but it's mostly mousey.  I just dyed it darker than I ever have.  I felt like I maybe found something I could live with, but I am getting more uncomfortable comments from people than ever before.   My family saw me a couple of weeks ago and flat out told me it's awful.   What's a girl to do!? 

These are the two extremes.  I think I like it best somewhere in between.  Although I'm convinced I'm never actually going to like it no matter what.

A walk on the Beach...

I have become such a baby about the cold that we haven't been running outside at all for months.  Today was a beautiful day, (still freezing to me when we started but it warmed up after a while) so we ventured out after the boys left for the Klondike camp out.

The flood plain is cleared of all the shrubs and Tamarisk trees that are usually there, and there is a huge beach in it's place.  Sarah loves sand and rocks, so I let her play for a bit.  I love this age (hers) and watching her discover things and enjoy the simplest things so thoroughly.

We didn't get much further before coming to the section that was destroyed in the floods.  The river changed coarse and is now flowing where the path used to be.  Grrrr..

Last day of Summer break!

And the first run outdoors that I can remember. I don't think I've run outside more than 4 times this summer. And that's okay. Today was perfect temps probably still in the 70's at 8:30 when I left, which is unheard of during August, so even though there was other things that needed to be done this morning, I left the kids and did a very. slow. 13 miles. Noah had a birthday party at 10, so I woke him up and told him he was going to need to get himself ready for that, and that he also was going to have to just stick a ten dollar bill in an envelope for a gift because I wasn't about to skip the run for a trip to Target. Did I mention the ten dollars was Noahs, because I didn't even have any cash? Ryan had just walked in from a back to school sleep over party, so I told him his thank you to me for letting him do that (We don't usually allow sleepovers. A story for a different post.) was to watch Sarah while I was gone. The reason the run was so slow was because I went to (choke) Crossfit last night with Ron. I felt like I need a little change. A little push with the resistance training. It was fun and I think I'll keep going.

A few new favorite things

BTW, I found out by reading the results of the race that my time was 5:25, not 5:35. I'll take every minute I can get, thank you.

So I got some lotion for Mother's Day which I LOVE. I'm kind of a connoisseur of skin care. Mainly because I have the worst skin ever.

Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion. It stays on! Not just for a little bit. AND it's got just the slightest bit of shimmer in it. Who doesn't love a little shimmer? Not like the usual shimmer lotions that make you look like you sprinkled glitter on yourself. Not noticeable. Just makes you glow a little. I love finding a favorite, especially for something that is so troublesome for me.

Another relief is finding a good recipe that people in my house will eat, AND that doesn't require extra trips to the store. We've got a little bit of a food storage, and when money is tight I try relying mostly on that and just go to the store for produce. Over the years I've collected quite a few great recipes from Relief Societies which just use basic food storage. It's gratifying to pull out those binders, go to my own pantry and be able to make a little something. Cold cereal is so expensive. This granola recipe can be stored in a container and my kids eat it as cold cereal or as a snack. (Some kids require adaptations. But really the things that make it work or not are the honey and oats. You can vary all the other things to taste. Or cut out some of the oil to make it a little lower fat.)


6 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. brown sugar (make it as sweet or unsweet as you like)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. toasted shaved coconut
1/3 C. sesame seeds
1/4 C. sunflower seeds
1 C. chopped nuts of choice

Mix well, then add:
1/2 C. olive oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. honey


Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 30 min.
Last five minutes add 1/2 C. raisins or other dried fruit.
Add chocolate for a sweeter version.


Another recipe... My husband loves artisan bread when it's fresh, but it's expensive and doesn't last more than a day. A friend of mine makes great home made/only from food storage Italian hard rolls or bread. I can't make it as well as she can, but it dresses up a food storage dinner. Make it as a loaf or rolls. It's a time consuming recipe with three rises. Start it early!

Beat until frothy:
3 1/2 C warm water
2 T. Sugar
8 tsp. powdered egg whites (or 4 regular egg whites)
1 T. instant yeast
Then add:
2 C. flour (whole wheat, white, or a combination)

Let sit 30 minutes to ferment, loosely covered with plastic wrap

Slowly add 6 C. more flour and knead for 6-7 min.
If using WW flour, ad 1/4 C. olive oil (optional)
At the very end of kneading add 1 T. salt
You can also add some herbs here. Like a little Rosemary, if you want.

Let rise in bowl for 1 hr.

Punch down, form into loaves, balls or whatever.
Sprinkle with a little flour
Let rise 1 more hour.
Just before baking, brush with beaten egg whites.
Bake at 400 for 20 min. (or 15 min. for rolls.)
Mid way through baking, slash the top with a knife a couple of times.


My son makes this for me. It's such an easy, cheap chocolate fix. Not to horribly fattening either.

4 1/2 oz dark chocolate (unsweetened is fine if you want to add sugar to the egg yolks. For me, the darker the better!)
4 large eggs separated

Melt the chocolate
Whip the egg whites to soft peak stage
Mix egg yolks (and sugar, if using unsweetened chocolate, to taste)
Add egg yolks to cooled chocolate. Mix quickly!
Add whipped whites to egg/chocolate mixture and fold until it's well incorporated.
Chill in individual serving cups.
Sprinkle white chocolate over the top, or more dark chocolate, because... why not!?

Ryan made a batch of this on Mother's Day and put it in 6 little cups. I go pick one out every day... such a great, perfectly sized chocolatey treat!

Post Red Mountain Ultra

So, the thing that looked like a fairly well groomed dirt road was, in fact, a trail. Much of it looked like a jeeping trail in Moab, with big boulders and holes and huge hills. I've never been trail running ever, so I was ill prepared. It's so fun though, jumping over the rocks and sailing down the hills that you really don't notice time going by or how hard you're working. It wasn't until I got to the pavement at mile 12 that I realized I couldn't lengthen my stride. My glutes and hamstrings were just tight as a knot. There was a spot right at the top of the highest point on the trail section where you could see out in both directions and it was right when the sun was coming up. It was so beautiful I had to stop for a sec and just take it in. I wished I had taken my phone for that. (When I got to the car, I looked at my phone and Ron had been messaging me, thinking that I would have my phone on me facebooking about it! I'm so sure. : ) )

I got to the pavement thinking I was feeling pretty good, and I was in second place of the women. That kind of inspired me to try and push it a little. I kept saying to myself that I run 17-20 miles on a regular basis, and it just won't be that big of deal. I was drinking that disgusting Heed electrolyte drink (tastes like corn syrup, but supposed to be great during a race) and a lot of water, but I was stayed totally cramped up the whole rest of the way. THEN the road we were running on had no shoulder and no road closures, so we were running on the slanted sides, which really killed my ankles and knees. I was in so much pain at different points that I was sure I wasn't going to finish. I just felt like I couldn't quit though. I hobbled along the rest of the way. It wasn't until mile 28 that a group of 3 women passed me. I was bummed, but at the same time felt like I was really just lucky to be that close to the finish line. Brother, what was I sad about!? That would have been fun though, to have taken second. There were only 75 people running it total, so it doesn't say a whole lot, but still.

I always think it so funny to see the people passing me. I look at them from behind and they honestly look like they are moving so slow, but they're passing me! It makes me realize how slow I'm going and makes me laugh. Then there's always the guy in the cotton Tshirt and basketball shorts and shoes that don't even look like running shoes and he's flying past everyone at mile 15. There was a Mr. Uber-Tech there too, with all the latest and greatest shoes and clothing and accessories that was also passed by Mr. Basketball shorts. It is a great statement about how not to take it all too seriously. (Mr. Uber-Tech was rubbing himself down with one of those massage sticks at the end. He just didn't want the gadget fest to end.)

So I came in 5th of the women. My time was 5:35. It could have been much worse, so I'm happy. Ron was driving the route to find me and met up with me about the last 1/2 mile. Josh and Noah got out and ran the rest of the way with me. That is always my favorite part. One of them commented on how slow I was going and how easy it was, and I told him it's because I hurt so bad. Then he asked, "So why are you doing this, again?" I just said I was wondering the same thing. I told Ron when I was done that I was never going to do anything like that again. I seriously didn't ever want to ever put on a pair of running shoes again. I'm sure now I will, but I don't know if I'll ever do that race again. There just is no training that prepares you to run on a slant like that. I couldn't take it and I couldn't figure out a way around that. I think I'm going to ask the race director what the secret is.

I'm really not tempted to work harder and run more trails and try and do it better next year. I got home and just felt so glad I could stay home in the mornings and clean my house! I don't have to go running! Yeay! I think I had a running overdose and now I'm cured. I started cleaning today but realized I really can't bend or get up and down the stairs. I think I will wait to clean for a few more days.

I'm signed up for the St. George Marathon in October.