Two Point One

My running shoes. I love them.

Today for my run, I was supposed to run 2.5 miles/25 minutes. 

Let me tell you a story. 

This morning I got up and got dressed in my running clothes, as per usual. I said a prayer, used my inhaler, grabbed my key and left for my run. I'm not a very fast runner but today? I ran faster than I have before, which is still pretty slow but I knew I was running faster than ever. Even though I was running faster, I knew I wouldn't make the whole 2.5 miles if I stopped when the trainer told me to and where I normally end up stopping. 

So, I paused the trainer and kept running. I ran a few blocks more and was feeling pretty darn good about myself. I was really excited to calculate how far I'd gone when I got home.

Well, I only ran 2.1 miles but the point is that I broke free from something. I kept running when the training would have told me to stop AND I had the energy to do it. I honestly think that if I'd known I needed to run even further, I could have and would have.  

The exciting thing is that this week the training is all the same! So I have two more opportunities to run 2.5 miles and now I know which streets to turn on to make it that far! 

Something else that excites me? A 5K is only 1 mile longer than I ran today.

 And to think, just 6 weeks ago, I could barely run half a mile!

I'll keep you posted. 

Right before I started running I snapped this. It's so Fall-y!

One Wild Weekend

This weekend was absolutely wild but so much fun!

Neil and I drove down to Manti Friday night, after dinner & dessert with two sisters and my parents! (They're out-of-towners so it's always a treat to have them in town.)

Why did we drvie down, you ask?

We drove down for the hunt. Did I go hunting? No. See, waking up at 4:30 in the morning so that I can hike around all day on a mountain hoping to shoot a deer just wasn't my ideal day. But a day of crafting, learning (about crafts) and playing? Sign me up!!

Neil left with his Dad and brothers around 5am and I stayed snuggly and warm and slept in.

After I woke up around 9, I went on my run. Meg came with me. She's really the only running buddy I've felt comfortable having run with me so far.

Later, Cousin Emily and Cousin Debbie came and visited. I got covered in glitter, and Debbie and Emily made some felt flowers for Debbie.

After a trip to Wal-Mart and a quick sew of a blanket, we went to a baby shower and had even more fun there.

I spent the rest of the day over at Aunt Becky's making blankets (pictures and blog post to follow).

After watching Aunt Becky make a blanket, it hit me! I really could do it! And I did.

In fact, I made five. Not all on one day, mind you, but this weekend was very productive. (And I got to use a Bernina. Love.)

We ate a scrumptious dinner and played with their newly hatched butterfly. (Is hatched the right word even? Hmm...)

Part of the scrumptious dinner, tomato pie. Normally, I'd have to pass
(because of tomatoes) but I LOVED this...I only had one piece though,
fear of heartburn and such... It was still tasty!

Debbie with the Butterfly. What was his name again?

By the time dinner was over and some chatting had commenced, Neil texted me and told me they were home! I drove as fast as I could (don't worry big Kyle, I didn't go too fast) to get home because, to be frank, I missed that man!

Neil's mommy's butterfly had hatched too! (There's that word again.) But this one was a girl! She was so pretty!

Butterfly a la on a pumpkin. ;)

The day, however, was far from "over". After Neil ate some dinner, we headed back of to Aunt Becky and Uncle Milton's house to play some games! Well...one game. One game that I really don't have the patience for. The worst part? I chose it. What was I THINKING!?!?! I like to think that it was so late and that I'd had such a busy day that my mind spaced.

I really don't mind Settlers of Catan and, even though I like to win, I don't mind it when I lose. I get anxious with games like this and then get impatient. I'm just a little too all over the place to be focused...Anyway, we had an awesome time

After church on Sunday, I made three blankets! Then Neil and I had to leave for a Sunday evening dinner up in South Jordan with my sisters! We drove a lot but it allowed us time to listen to Harry Potter, chat with each other and read our scriptures (Neil read aloud).

Sheep and Wheat!! 10s were rolled. A LOT.  

I was blue. I hogged that entire side of the island! Go me! Still
didn't have the longest road in the end though...

Finally, we were home! And to my absolute happiness Fluffy was still alive! I really need to consider getting him a sitter while we are away. Any takers?

Crafting

I've recently been bitten by the crafting bug. 

I want to skip classes and work and stay home and make cards and wreaths and blankets and explore new recipes! Of course, this would not work but a girl can dream right?

I think my dream job (one of them) would be to run a blog. You know? Get paid to craft and blog it, cook and blog it, clean and blog it! "Try this, don't do this, substitute this, avoid that..."

Wouldn't that be awesome?

Well, until I get there, I am in school and have to craft when I have the time. 

I have done a couple of things lately and here are some pics. 

Craft #1: Travel Mug

It's getting colder everyday here in Utah and I do love my Herbal Tea (Preferably the Country Peach Passion or Honey Vanilla Chamomile by Celestial Seasonings). The travel mug I had didn't have a lid. No way to close that hole at the top. I've been on the hunt for a cheap but cute travel mug and low and behold I found one at JoAnns! (Of all places...) This was in the bargain section and I bought it for $2.50. I wasn't the biggest fan of the pink/brown paper liner SO I took it out, traced the shape onto a different piece of scrapbook paper that I had on hand (only $0.59 from Hobby Lobby). And voila! I have a cute travel mug with a lid. 

Before:

 

After:

Loverly, no? I love it. And if I get tired of the purple, I can always change it up!

Craft #2: Wreath

I was priveledged to spend sometime with a cousin recently and she was working on an adorable wreath and I thought, "You know I want to make one like this." 

And so I did. With some differences: thinner stripes, less colors, flat felt flowers.

This is foam tubing that I bought at home depot for $0.97. I got six feet of it for that price!

Black and White striped ribbon

Finished Product!

I am pretty sure that Cousin Kara's is cuter but she is much more experienced than I am and I'm not going to lie, I am VERY happy with how this wreath turned out. It took about 5 episodes of Alias to finish (1 episode=45ish minutes) but I refused to go to bed until this wreath was done. 

Not really a poem...

I ran today. 

I forgot to use my inhaler. 

I thought I was going to die. 

But I finished my run without stopping for a breather!

When I got home my lungs felt sticky. 

I used my inhaler. 

I didn't die. 

Just thought you'd like to know. 

It Was Hard

It was a beautiful morning today. 

Then I realized, "My run today is supposed to be two miles/20 minutes without stopping."

I've never run that far in one interval in my life, I'm pretty sure, so the task seemed daunting. But, I got out of bed, put on my running clothes and laced up my shoes. Neil even decided to come with me!

This whole morning I kept saying, "I'll probably have to pause the trainer and walk for a few minutes." and other things along that line but then I started running jogging and found that I wanted to do it. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it without stopping.

And I did. 

And it was HARD.

After getting home and calculating the distance that I jogged in 20 minutes, I found that I had only jogged 1.8 miles instead of the whole 2 miles. But can I tell you a secret?

I'm not too upset about it. 

It was my first time running that far in one go and I am so happy and grateful that I even went that far! 

I have another week of the same intervals and so next Saturday will be another 2 mile day and I actually can't wait! Next time, I'll go the full two miles!

5K HERE I COME!

Just Some Lovely Pictures

Most of these are on Facebook but I wanted to add them here too!

Bridals and Wedding Photos. 

 

HUGE thanks to Lauri (Neil's Mom a.k.a. Mom #2) for taking these for us! They are superb and I love them!

Cooking Corner: Honey Mustard Chicken

This is definitely a favorite family meal. I've made this a few times since getting married and Neil never gets tired of it. 

It's a very simple dish but very tasty. 

Ingredients: 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed)
• 1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon of honey (Lucky me! I have access to Manti honey but any honey will do.)
• 1/2 cup of pouring (whipping/table) cream (I've used heavy & light whipping cream but table should work just fine as well)
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley (from a jar/shaker is just fine)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Nutritional Facts:

(If light whipping cream is used)...roughly 366 calories (not including side dishes) 44g of protein, 18g fat (8g saturated fat) 8g carbohydrate, <1g fiber

I know, I know, 18g of fat? However, in a 2,000 calorie daily diet, one should be consuming at least 65g of fat. 18g is a little over 25% of your daily fat intake.

 Step One:

Season the chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper

Step Two:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 7 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 6 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover lightly with foil to keep warm. 

 
Step Three:

Reduce heat to medium. Add the mustard, honey and cream to the pan and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. (I usually don't measure out the honey because it doesn't like to come out of the measuring spoon so I eyeball it.) Stir in the parsley and season to taste. 

Step Four:

Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the sauce.

Step Five:

Serve!! I drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve it that way usually. 

 Variations:

1. Omit step four and instead, cut the chicken into cubes/stripes whatever. Place on top of or mix into a basic green salad. Use the cream sauce you just made as a "dressing" for your salad.

2. Cook some rice, egg noodles or spaghetti noodles and serve the chicken on top of that.

A variation on the cooking of the chicken is as follows: Omit the cream & parsley and combine the mustard and honey with the zest of 1 lime, and 1-2 crushed garlic cloves (if you like that sort of thing, I for one, cannot eat garlic...) Spread mixture over the top of 4 chicken breasts. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook under a medium-hot broiler for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. 

Side Dish Options:

1. Sweet Potato Mash

2. Steamed sugarsnap peas

3. Steamed asparagus

4. Green salad

5. Steamed summer squash

6. Broccoli

I've tried this recipe a couple of different ways but the original way is still my favorite. We both absolutely LOVE IT! I hope you do too! If you try it (or have read it) and have any other suggestions for tweaking, leave me a comment and I'll try them out!

My Best (Girl) Friends

You know how they say that you can have more than one best friend?

So. True. 

I never lived long enough in one location to say that "So-and-so was my childhood best friend" but when we moved to Kentucky, I found two girls (or rather they found me) that I could call my Best Friends. 

They are beautiful, talented, funny, smart and so much more. I love these girls with all my heart and I miss them very much today all the time, but especially today. 

Alisa:

Man alive, this woman is amazing! She has taught me so much about loving life. Carefree and so willing to love someone for who they are and not what they look like or what they have. She is married now, to the wonderful Carl and they have a baby on the way. I am so excited for them, I just wish that they'd move to Utah so that we could be closer. Alisa graduated a while ago and now does some tutoring in KY. That's too far away for my liking but I do get to see her next month! (Fingers crossed!)

Erin: 

I don't know what I'd do without her! She has taught me so much about overcoming adversity and obtaining your goals. Right now is is WAAAY far away, as she is in Thailand serving a full-time mission for our church!! She's been teaching and serving the Lord and just happened to be able to go and play with tigers. I'm totally jealous. She is happy (from the sound of it) and I am happy for her. She is doing just a selfless thing but I cannot wait for her to be home. I miss her so much.

 I love them both and miss them very much but that life for you right? The thing I love about them is that we can go for so long without seeing each other or even talking (due to the craziness of life) but when we get back together, it's like we were never really apart. I love them so SO much and I know that they are doing good things with their lives. Maybe we'll have to get together for a reunion once Erin gets home...Yes, I think so. Gosh, I just love them!

I Learned...

My dear friend Hayley made this video about Study Abroad. 

She made it for a film competition and needs views to win. 

I wouldn't normally do this but her video speaks to more than just a study abroad experience. 

It speaks to us all. 

It's a short film but deserves a world of applause. 

Enjoy.