Races in 2010

My upcoming 2010 Races:

June: Utah Valley Half Marathon (if I can get someone to give me their spot)

July: SpudmanTriathlon

August: Park City Half Marathon

September: Disneyland Half Marathon

Top of Utah Full Marathon

October: None as we didn't get into the St. George Marathon (stupid raffle) - but we are guaranteed for next year!  Woo hoo!

Spring has arrived...well, kinda.  The cold weather is hanging on in Utah, but I am done with allowing it to confine me to a treadmill.

That said, it is time for training to being!  Well, almost.

I was going to run the Ogden Marathon this weekend.  I wasn't as trained as I should have been, but I was ready - except then my ankle decided otherwise. 

When I was a sophomore in high school, during basketball season my left ankle started to hurt so bad, sometimes I couldn't walk on it.  I went to a podiatrist and found that I had what appeared to be a cyst on my ankle.  We first did an MRI on it, which thankfully let us know that it was nothing scary but a "ganglion cyst".  So the podiatrist drained it.  My ankle stopped hurting, I was able to continue my sports.

Two years ago however, while in a play at a local theatre, my ankle started to hurt again. 

I went to another podiatrist (who happens to be my best friend's father).  He determined the same thing, a ganglion cyst.  So he also drained it.  I had to miss a couple of nights of the play for it to heal. 

And now it is back. 

My ankle started hurting about 2 months ago.  I wrapped it with an Ace Bandage and tried to ignore it, but it was too much.  So again, I went back to the doctor.  I want it removed, but if I did it now, I would be "in recovery" for about 2 months, which would completely disrupt my training schedules.  Not cool.

So I decided that it was best to miss out on this weekend's marathon (which I haven't paid for as I was taking another girl's spot), and get the cyst drained yet again. 

So now I have to give my foot time to recover for another week, but then I can start my training.

Bring it on!

Baking

Ever since I was little I have loved baking. I loved every Sunday afternoon when my momma and me would make cookies or other fantastic baked goods.  I loved the smell of her fresh baked breads and the Viennabrood (Danish Pastry) that she would make that would be gone nearly instantaneously.

Today I still try to find time to bake things.  Sunday afternoons are filled with making sugar cookies or other tasty delights, which, I think our neighbors quite love, as we always give them a plate of whatever I've made.

For the last several weeks there has been a re-occuring baking theme in my life - cakes.

• My friend, Christie, and I decided we wanted to take a cake decorating class together.
• My aunt emailed us all to let us know that my cousin, Chef Tess, is coming to teach some classes at Gygi's (one of which is making cake flowers) in June.
• One of the girls I work with just took a cake decorating class at Gygi's - with fondant.
• My brother got married and there was the focus of the beautiful wedding cake.
• My friend, Heidi, is making the groom's cake for her sister's wedding and has brought in sample cupcakes and told me about making marshmellow fondant last night.
• My aunt taught a few of us cousins how to make marshmellow fondant tonight.

See!  Lot's of cake!

Is the Universe trying to tell me something?  Are cakes in my future?

Yes.  Yes they are.

I've always wanted to learn to make and decorate fantastic cakes (though for birthdays I have always preferred birthday brownies as I have always preferred them over cake), and now I think that I will have to actually learn to be fantastic at this art.

I have some of the fondant that we made tonight.  I plan to make a cake for when Husband's family comes in town.  And I will have to try to be fancy.

Mark my words, in the near future, I will take a class.  I will make a fantastically delicious cake.  And I will be a cake lady.  Wait.  Scratch the "cake lady" part.  I'll just be famous for my amazing cakes.

*Grin*

Book Club

Barefoot and I decided that we wanted to have a book club, so we invited friends to join us! I've never been in a book club before, so I was pretty excited!

Our first book was The Virgin Queen's Daughter by Ella March Chase. Its an historical fiction about a girl who is possibly Elizabeth I's daughter .

I had a difficult time getting into the book at first. The author likes to get carried away describing things and at times and I got bored and stopped paying attention to what I was reading.

Also, there weren't specific breaks in the paragraph etc. that would "hint" that she was changing the topic, or that it took place a little later. Sometimes the sentence would end with a period during one event, and begin with a different event with the next sentence. I had to learn to recognize the change in conversation/what was happening so I wouldn't get confused and bored.

I also got confused about some of the characters in the book, but I don't think that was her fault, historically its confusing which monarch ruled when or how, who the succeeded, killed whom, and gave birth to what child.

After re-reading the first few pages several times, I started to get into it and really enjoy it . It was woven with interesting factual tidbits and the fictitious story that had a basis of rumors from back in the day. I had a hard time putting the book down after a little while. And when I finished the book, I was glad to know what had happened, but I was sad that the story was over.

That happens to me a lot with books. Sometimes I start to feel like I get to know the characters so well and then the story ends, and I miss them. Does that happen to you?

We met as a book club this past Saturday and met for tea downtown and talked about the book and just had fun! I loved my first book club meeting!

Our next book, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I hope its good!

Yum!

Husband and I are trying to be really healthy. And even though I have discovered a ton of awesome healthy recipes, some days I just want to eat something sweet, fattening and completely NOT good for me.

Something like these:

HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 Devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix the cake mix with the eggs and oil until smooth
2. Roll dough into round balls about the size of a golf ball
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes
4. Let cookies cool to room temperature
5. Mix all frosting ingredients together
6. Frost backs of cookies and place together to make a cookie sandwich

Oh man....just the directions are making me hungry.

Why don't you make them and enjoy them for me.

One day, you, Homemade Oreo Cookies, and I - will be together again.

Notices

Over a month ago I said I would write about our cruise. I will still do so, however, you will need to go here to read about it as I have started to blog about it there. I will commit to having it posted by the end of the month...I think that is do-able.

However, now for the important part:
If I can draw your attention to the right side of this page, to my blog links. You will notice that there is one titled "Black Iris Photos". I recommend you click on it and behold the great artwork of my brother, Eric, and his super-soon-to-be-wife, Carlee.

They are attempting to break into the photography business and they are looking for more opportunities to build their portfolio. They are currently doing some "pro bono" shoots, so if you have any photo ops that you are in need of, Easter, family pictures, new babies, children, engagements, bridals, etc. Check out their blog and contact them and they will get you taken care of!

Here is a map of where we cruised. Details to come.

Anticipation

Here in a short while Husband and I will be going on a cruise in the Caribbean. This is my first cruise and I am SOOOO excited, I can hardly contain myself. The only other times that stand out in my mind that I have had this much anticipation for an event was when I was coming home from my mission and when I was getting married.

I have purchased a new swimsuit, have pulled out the suitcases and am planning on what I am going to take (though one of my brothers is already PACKED...wish I would've thought of that). I have a count down chain at work and a very obviously marked calendar of the days that I will be gone....obviously, I can't wait.