here i am...

30 is sexy!

2012-02-01T10:11:00.002-05:00

Well, it happened I am now a 30 year old! My amazing Husband threw me the best 30 is sexy party! here are some photos from the night...

run.

2012-01-09T06:21:00.002-05:00

i finally woke up and was out of the house by 5am to run! i need this in my life. i hope I'm back.

oh wow, we have it coming to us...

2012-01-07T13:42:00.002-05:00

ruby's christmas program...

2011-12-15T20:04:00.002-05:00

i cried of course...

this is only a peak but so adorable...

holiday time!

2011-12-12T10:35:00.001-05:00

well, this school quarter is over! my first quarter back was a huge success. it was really hard and i need to work on my time management moving forward, but i am now really confident with this school plan!

holiday time! ruby and i kicked it off with lilly. we decorated our fun tree! the girls did a great job and we all had a blast. today i am going to make cookies all day, listen to christmas music, and prepare for my annual cookie exchange party! on wednesday mike, ruby, and i will take a trip out to the crazy polaris mall to visit santa with the pifers! we now have our own family traditions and i love it! the great part is that all of our traditions have just randomly popped up over the years and i am sure we will add many more.

cookie time!

love.

2011-12-08T11:35:00.006-05:00

Just Breathe (Lyrics)

Artist: Pearl Jam

Composer: Pearl Jam

Lyrics:

Yes I understand that every life must end, aw huh,..
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, aw huh,..
I’m a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love,..

Some folks just have one,
Others they got none, aw huh,..

Stay with me,..
Let’s just breathe.

Practiced are my sins,
Never gonna let me win, aw huh,..
Under everything, just another human being, aw huh,..
Yeah, I don’t wanna hurt, there’s so much in this world
To make me bleed.

Stay with me,..
You’re all I see.

Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn’t now I’m a fool you see,..
No one knows this more than me.
As I come clean.

I wonder everyday
As I look upon your face, aw huh,..
Everything you gave
And nothing you would take, aw huh,..
Nothing you would take,..
Everything you gave.

Did I say that I need you?
Oh, Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn’t now I’m a fool you see,..
No one knows this more than me.
I come clean.

Nothing you would take,..
Everything you gave.
Hold me till I die,..
Meet you on the other side.

kiwicrate

2011-12-04T12:50:00.002-05:00

so fun!

such a great idea!

papa and ruby love

2011-11-19T18:05:00.002-05:00

grandma dianne.

2011-11-16T08:16:00.002-05:00

love.

we now have a cantaloupe colored room. thank you mike!

i love walking into the room. it instantly reminds me of my grandma dianne.

she was full of love, peace, and so much passion. she loved her family with all of her. i wish i could sit and talk to her right now.

i think my dad is a lot like her. thank you grandma for molding my father into such an amazing man.

so, in my mind this is a room for my grandma. I'm happy to have a great feeling in my home.

mike, grandma dianne would love it! thank you for your hard work.

first band practice...

2011-11-08T20:01:00.002-05:00

ruby's song for rachel...

2011-11-08T19:54:00.001-05:00

Rachel cut Ruby's hair and I told Ruby that she should make her a thank you card. About an hour later she came back to me and said, "I don't want to make a card, I wrote rachel a song."

well, here it is.

Ruby DYLAN Redcay

2011-10-25T09:45:00.000-04:00

midterms.

kelsie ran 26.2!

2011-10-18T09:06:00.006-04:00

i love this photo! I'm so proud of you Kelsie!

a paper i wrote about a beautiful painting and life...

2011-10-13T19:52:00.007-04:00

It is a beautiful sunny day. There are bright royal blue clouds in the sky; a berry red flower stands up tall towards the sun. Everything is still and there is peace in the air. This is half of a painting I own. A beautiful painting that explains a lot. Life. Life is a lot.

Five years ago I was pregnant. I was happy, scared, and ready for my life to change. As my belly grew bigger I grew more hopeful that this new life would be amazing. This new life as a mom would be so fulfilling and yet so challenging. I loved every minute about being pregnant. It was easy to imagine life with a child because that child was still growing fast inside of me. I was building a foundation for my family; I was creating this new start in my head and in my life. Well, the day came and my baby was going to be a physical person in our family. That day I went through a lot of physical pain and I was so scared. It was like a horrible storm. But, I still felt strong and brave. I knew this is what it took to be a mom; this is what it took to live a life. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. We named her Ruby. When Ruby came into this world she came with some complications. As poor ruby entered her life she was in the middle of her own horrible storm. She had skull fractures, bleeding of the brain, and seizures. The doctors quickly took over to come up with ways to calm her storm. They hooked her up to machines, ran tests, and sedated her. When Ruby was well enough for us to take her home, I was terrified. I had to make sure Ruby was healthy and happy. I knew with my heart how to love her and make her happy with all of me, but the other part was scary. On our way home from the hospital I was thinking of what Ruby’s life would be like. As I was thinking about her life, it really dawned on me that I was in charge of another life. From the day she was conceived I was starting to mold this little girl into what she will become. That moment in the car was almost as scary as labor pains. That was like a huge tropical storm, but when I looked at her peaceful sleeping face I realized, this is life. Life is supposed to be happy, life is supposed to be scary. Life is supposed to be full of bright days and gloomy days.

I watched over Ruby with all of me. I was so over protective and I was so aware of anything that might be wrong with her. She had to take anti-seizure medicine and she had to follow up with multiple doctors with her progress. She was happy and healthy and I was paranoid and worried. I tried hard not to worry about her, but I could not stop myself. My worry turned into horrible night terrors, which turned into sleepless nights. I would think that her life will be delayed, her life would be harder; I was so angry that she did not have a healthy start to her life.

Finally at the age of three, Ruby was released from her neurosurgeon. She was a completely healthy and normal little girl. Ruby was confident and determined to live life to her fullest even during horrible storms. For being three years old ruby went through a lot of drama and a lot of pain. But, that was all she knew. That was her life and she was living it. There was nothing wrong with her, she was not having seizures, and there was nothing wrong with her brain. She was already so strong from only three years of her life. No storm could knock her down only make her more secure.

Ruby has been my inspiration to let my life happen. She has shown me how to use every moment in my life. To take each moment and live through it, not worry and dwell in it. To watch her skip and sing is like looking at a beautiful peaceful painting. Just like that painting that I own. Half of the painting is bright, sunny, and peaceful and the other half is stormy, gloomy, and sad. But, in each half there is a tree. At the top of the painting the tree stands strong and brave as he lives his life to the fullest amongst a great bright sunny day. At the bottom of the painting the tree is turned upside down amongst a dark rainstorm. In both parts of this painting this tree does not look worried or afraid. This is his life.

6

2011-09-23T14:01:00.001-04:00

mike and i will be married for 6 years tomorrow. we met over 10 years ago. im so lucky to call him my husband. i remember our wedding day like it was yesterday. i also remember the day i fell in love with him...

that was a horrible and amazing day. it was september 11, 2001. we both lived in jersey. mike was a flight attendant based out of newark airport and i was a student at the fashion institute of technology. that was the first day i slept in and skipped my morning class. and obviously im so very happy that i did. first of all i would have been under those towers heading to school and second, i fell in love.

i remember feeling so comfortable. so accepted. so scared, yet so brave to let myself fall.

we were driving to his apartment to watch the news on tv, because i didn't have reception due to the towers being hit. as we were driving we were listening to the radio. then silence. we looked over to our right and watched the towers fall to the ground. there was a huge hole in my heart from that, but knowing i was safe with mike made my heart happy.

i found something i wrote on september 29, 2001...

i met myself. i met someone who helped me with that.

the flower block made me happy. off to the beach, but we ended up in neptune. metropolitan grill. a&p. "you dance with your feet." flight attendant world.

climbing up to get back down. and when i fall, it will be another reason to get back up.

reading that makes me smile so much. it actually brings happy tears to my eyes.

i remember that adventure we took to the "beach". i remember feeling the butterflies in my stomach when mike held my hand.

well.

mike, we dance with our feet. sometimes we are not dancing to the same rhythm, but i know we are supposed to be dancing.

love.

2011-09-18T16:29:00.000-04:00

love on this beautiful day.

chili cooking.

dancing around the house with ruby.

good day.

2011-09-14T18:09:00.001-04:00

alive and wanting.
still and in awe.
brave and still wondering.
challenged and drained.
bruised and pretty.
loud and so strange.
changed and still watching.
sweet and so spicy.
small and just fucking big.

life.

2011-09-12T21:34:00.002-04:00

im still here.

today ruby started her second year of preschool. she is at a new school and she loved it today! she is so confident, strong, smart, beautiful, and social. she needs people. she is full of laughter, dancing, singing, running, playing, talking loud, caring, she is full of life! i love watching her explore new places, new things, new people, new ways, new steps, new songs. people need her. i know that. i love her.

im going back to school. im going back to study nutrition. as i watched ruby start her first day of preschool, she inspired me even more to go back to school. watching her made me realize i can do this. im so ready. i am a student. i love it.

awesome bread recipe

2010-08-24T07:48:00.004-04:00

i have been looking for a great bread recipe and i found one that i love and it is super easy!

thanks to soule mama

who bread acoustic style

1 1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons butter @ room temperature
1 tsp salt
3 cups of flour (1 do 2 cups whole white wheat and 1 cup whole wheat)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or, one package)

Pour 1 1/4c. warm water (about 110 degrees F), honey, sugar, and yeast into a bowl. Whisk until well combined and mixture is frothy. Set aside to proof while you mix together the other ingredients.

In a separate large bowl stir together, flour, butter, salt, rolled oats, and cinnamon.

Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture, and mix until thoroughly combined. (I like to do this with my hands.)

Place dough into a lightly oiled bread pan. Cover with a damp towel and leave in a warm spot to rise for about an hour. Punch down dough and let rise a second time for 45 minutes, covered with a damp towel.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove towel from top of dough and place pan in the center of your oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Done!

uncle jake and aunt siobhan

2010-08-10T08:22:00.003-04:00

my sweet brother married a beautiful woman!

siobhan is now part of our family and we welcome her with open arms!

she is wonderful, open, honest, peaceful, brave, loving, maternal, and so much more.

their love is visible and contagious.

i am so happy to have them live with us right now.

here they are on their wedding day...

fancy tea party...

2010-06-29T20:53:00.002-04:00

i have been dreaming about this tea party ever since i found out i was having a girl! and to have it with two of our best friends! it was simply amazing! im sure there are many more to come...

ruby!

2010-06-13T23:40:00.001-04:00

free therapy.

2010-06-09T15:55:00.006-04:00

so ruby has completely changed my life. these past 3 years have pretty much been all about her! probably too much. i am not mad at her or am not upset with her, i absolutely love her and am in love with the fact my life revolves around her.

but, i feel like i need to let some stuff out. stuff that i just bottled up inside of me. the stuff that makes me a paranoid mom. the stuff that gives me night terrors. the stuff that stresses me out until im sick. the stuff that makes me ignore mike's instincts about ruby. the stuff that prevents me from letting ruby completely grow her independence.

this might be really hard to write out but im going to try. free therapy right?

june 12 2007 when ruby dylan redcay was born, mike and i were completely filled with joy and love!* back up.

my labor didnt really go as planned. first came the induction. that crazy pictocin made my body go from not being in labor at all to full on active labor in less than 5 hours. i really wanted a natural birth, but when i got to 10 cm dilated ruby's heart rate dropped, the doctors and nurses freaked out and i ended up getting an epidural. which i need to get over. i still blame myself for the way ruby had to enter this world. two pieces of metal pulling her out of me! STUPID FORCEPS!

she came out crying and looking completely healthy! we were all relieved and completely filled with joy and love! *

so up to the room we go to start our lives together and to show the nurses that i actually do have a motherly instinct. ruby had this twitch thing. the nurses told us that her neurological system was not fully developed yet, so that twitch was normal. but i did not think so. it scared me. and im glad it did. she was having seizures from skull fractures and bleeding of the her brain. i got discharged and she got rushed over to childrens hospital. and this is where the night terrors begin.

the doctors dosed her up on heavy anti seizure drugs, who knows how many antibiotics, and hooked her up to every machine to monitor her every breath. i think back and i really had no clue what the doctors and nurses were doing to her. no one asked mike or me permission to do a single thing to her. they just worked as hard as they could to figure out the issues and try to solve them. it was quite crazy actually. i remember when the doctors did their rounds in the mornings, i felt like i should have so many questions, but had none. i was so confused, i was so sad, i was so tired, i was so in love, i was lost, i was just mad.

this was not supposed to happen. but it did and we had to deal with it. and i didnt deal with it at all. i just bottled every emotion up and tried my best to mother my sick daughter.

what brings me to tears still to this day is remembering the feeling i had each night we had to leave her at the hospital and go home to sleep. i would not leave until she was peacefully sleeping. i would stand over her crib and rub her head until she fell asleep. then i would leave in tears trying to convince myself that i needed sleep to be a better mom. i forced myself to walk out of her room each night.

well about a week later we got word that we could take ruby home with us! we were scared, excited, relieved, nervous, stressed out, tired. but most of all just so ready to be home.

so now today she is about to turn 3. she is completely healthy and happy. i thank those doctors and my motherly instinct.

im so in love with my sweet ruby.

amazing granola recipe!

2010-06-09T15:07:00.002-04:00

so i found an awesome granola recipe! you should try it! ruby and i can not stop eating it...

MAPLE BUTTER NUT GRANOLA (from Feeding the Whole Family)

3 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbl nut butter ( I used pb)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almomd extract

Preheat to 325

In large bowl combine oats, seeds, almonds, cinnamon, and salt mix well

In small sauce pan melt butter, then add maple syrup and nut butter and stir to blend. Remove from heat then add extracts

Slowly pour wet ingredients over dry using a spatula to fold evenly coat dry with wet

Spread on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown and dry (45 to 60 minutes) mine only took 45. turning granola eevery 15 - 20 minutes.

Store I'm airtight jar.

pillow case dress...

2010-05-07T14:26:00.005-04:00

so i finally made ruby a dress! an easy pillow case dress. but it is adorable. this has inspired me to make more! i am so excited to sew, i just have to sit down and do it!

here she is, messy face and her new pillow case dress...

ruby ruby.

2010-02-24T13:21:00.005-05:00

well, i need to post more! i have been feeling guilty about not posting. so here i go.

i really should update on ruby. she is grown up so much.

ruby...

loves to sing. usually making up words and her own songs.

loves to dance. she shakes her booty and will copy any move you tell her to. right now her favorite song to dance to is home by edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros.

loves to toot. she thinks it is so funny. and she is stinky.

loves almonds. just plain almonds. she calls them bowmans.

loves rachel bowman so much that we bribe ruby with rachel. it works.

loves everything girl. including broaches, dressup, tootoos, tea parties, party hats, etc

is about 90% potty trained.

loves to do somersaults and yoga.

loves her shows. when she is watching her shows she will say, "im trying to watch this. so shhhh."

is a lover! she hugs and kisses everyone! she says, "i love you so so so so so so so so so much!" and then says, "that's a lot of love."

still loves pasta! this girl will eat more past than her papa.

loves to play instruments. really loud.

says, im hungy.

can sing her abcs, knows a lot of her letters, can write some letters, and can pretty much count to 20.

sings mr. tambourine man.

loves to pick out her clothes. she usually has to wear a skirt or dress.

calls me, mommy and mike, papa.

calls my mom old meemaw, scott is peepaw, my dad is grandpa duanne, mike's mom is meemaw barbara.

loves m&ms. thats how we potty trained her.

talks about being a flower girl all of time! she was one last august and will be one in september. hopefully this time she will actually walk down the isle.

loves to help me cook, bake, stir, clean, anything.

has the entire laurie berkner band dvd memorized.

had her first real haircut by rachel. the next morning she woke up and told me not to touch her haircut or her circles. (curls)

she has to wear party gear for parties! mike dropped her off at rachel's house, where we were having a baby shower, she had on her high heels, her party hat, her necklaces, her vest, and her purse with her teacup for the "tea party". when she got there she says, "papa drop me off, ruby go to a tea party, then we eat cake. ok?"

wow, i love her. she is amazing. oh and she finally no longer has to check in with her neuro surgeon, dr. kosnik! those skull fractures, the bleeding of the brain, stupid forceps, scary seizures, and children's hospital stay did not stop ruby!

im sure im missing a lot. ill try to update on ruby more often.

i love her so so so so so so so much!

dress up/dance party...

2010-01-19T12:22:00.003-05:00

ruby and maggie had a blast the other day! here are some photos and a video...

ruby's first snow angel...

2009-12-28T13:43:00.002-05:00

fun.

2009-11-05T13:58:00.002-05:00

oh my gosh ruby is my little best friend now. we can sit down and chat. we can sing together. we can draw together. we can match our clothes. we can make cookies together. we can laugh together. we always dance together!

she is a little girl. she is potty trained! i am so proud of her.

ladybug...

2009-10-29T13:00:00.002-04:00

menu...

2009-10-15T17:36:00.006-04:00

ok im not doing a good job at posting our menu on time. sorry. so im going to have to skip some days cause i dont remember what i made. we have been sick around here, so who knows what we ate. but we are finally better! yea! so here is what we are eating and we ate for this week.

monday october 12 sandwiches and chips.

joey's favorite food!

tuesday october 13 pot roast with potatoes carrots and onions.

this is the first time at cooking a pot roast. it was super easy and so good. it reminded me of my mom's pot roast, yumm!

wednesday october 14 chicken parmesan

here is how i made it...

1 lb chicken breasts

breading for chicken:

whole wheat cracker crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

garlic powder

oregano

parsley

salt

pepper

dip chicken in egg (beaten) then drag chicken in breading. place in a frypan preheated with olive oil. brown both sides.

place browned chicken into a greased casserole dish.

sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of chicken.

pour one jar of marinara sauce on top of cheese. sprinkle a little parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top of sauce.

place in 350 preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is done.

eat with whole wheat spaghetti noodles!

thursday october 15 slow cooker enchiladas (but i make them in the oven)

recipe from simply in season, but a little different because of the oven.

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 cup onion (chopped)

1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)

cook together in large soup pot until meat is browned and veggies are tender. drain off fat.

2 cups (1 can) kidney beans

2 cups (1 can) black beans

2 cups tomatoes (chopped)

1/3 cup water

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup carrots (shredded)

1 cup (i use a whole can) corn

add and bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

7 large flour tortillas

2 cups (or more) sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

in a 9x13x2 baking dish spread about 1 cup of meat/bean mixture in pan. then 1 1/2 tortillas, then some cheese. repeat layers to use all ingredients. cover with foil and bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes.

top with sour cream and salsa.

oh and i made a gluten free apple crispy thing for kyle's birthday and it didnt turn out so well.

friday october 16 hearty broccoli soup

ill write more later, i have to go celebrate with elisa and kyle! happy birthday elisa and kyle!

smiles.

menu...

2009-09-30T09:27:00.006-04:00

well, i still have not gone to the store. we have been eating leftovers and we went out to eat once. but finally today ruby and i are going to the grocery store. here is what we are going to enjoy this week...

wednesday september 30 hurry up alfredo with broccoli

this is so yummy. i got this recipe from our friend elisa. and here is the recipe

you will like. its vegan and mike even likes it! and that says a lot!

thursday october 1 black bean sweet potato burritos

this recipe is from simply in season and is one of my favorites!

3 cups sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)

1/2 onion (chopped)

saute in large frypan in 1 TB oil just until tender. Add water or apple juice as needed to prevent sticking.

2 cups cooked black beans

1 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

add and cook until heated through

8 flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)

divide bean mixture and cheese among the tortillas and roll up. place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. garnish with sour cream, salsa, and fresh cilantro..

mike is weird and does not like sweet potatoes so i usually half that recipe and for the other half i use yellow/red/white potatoes for him. and instead of the cinnamon i use black pepper. then we are all happy!

friday october 2 chicken vegetable soup

3 lb chicken (simply in season says to get a whole chicken but i cant do the bones, i always miss some, so i just get 2-3 lb chicken breasts.

cook in water to cover. cut in bite size pieces. reserve broth.

3 cups carrots (diced)

2 cups celery (diced)

2 medium onion (diced)

1 medium parsnip (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

in large soup pot saute in 2 TB olive oil. add a little water for steam.

salt and pepper to taste

add and cover over medium heat until veggies are tender but not mushy. @ 15 minutes. add water to chicken broth to make 12 cups. add to soup mixture along with cooked chicken.

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups kale (chopped)

1/2 tsp dried dill

add, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors.

this smells so great and tastes so yummy!

saturday october 3 pizza

recipe for crust...

1 heaping TB active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water

stir together in a large bowl until yeast is dissolved

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1-2 TB sugar

add enough flour to make a soft dough. knead for about 8 - 10 minutes. add flour as needed.

place in a greased bowl, turn to grease all sides of dough, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in bulk . for about 45 -55 minutes

generously grease pizza stone or baking sheet with olive oil. press dough onto pan. add sauce, cheese, and toppings and bake in preheated 400 oven for about 10-20 minutes or until done.

for a thinner crust, split dough into 2. and make 2 pizzas. this is what i usually do.

sunday october 4 pasta and meatballs

ruby loves meatballs!

my meatballs (i usually just throw stuff in, ill try to give measurements)

1 1/2 lb ground beef

1 clove garlic (minced)

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 cup ritz whole wheat cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve)

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

3-4 tsp dried parsley

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

mix together (use your hands)

form into balls and place on a greased baking sheet put in 375 oven for about 15-20 minutes or until done.

these freeze well! so if you want to freeze them...

grease a mini muffin tin and put a meatball in each pocket (or just use a baking sheet). cover with foil and put in freezer overnight. then pop out meatballs and place in a freezer bag and throw back in freezer. to reheat meatballs just simmer in sauce. so easy!

monday october 5 leftovers or whatever i can come up with. probably some sort of soup. soup is always easy!!

this week i am also going to make 2 dips for veggies, crackers, chips, fruits. these are great to snack on during the day...

green surprise dip

1 cup steamed kale or spinach

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1/4 mayonnaise

1 clove garlic

1/4 onion (chopped) sometimes i just use onion powder

1 TB lemon juice or to taste

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

puree in blender or food processor

pumpkin dip

12 ounces cream cheese

1 cup brown sugar

beat together until well blended

1 cup pumpkin (from a can is the easiest, but you should try to cook and puree your pumpkins that you carve!)

4 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

add and beat until smooth

these dips are great to bring to parties! for the green one, bring veggies and tortilla chips. and for the pumpkin one, bring fruit and gingersnaps. they are always a huge hit!

smiles.

craft project #1.

2009-09-28T21:51:00.006-04:00

so ruby and i did our first craft project today. we made a drum/purse/shaker out of an empty oatmeal container. she loved it! i loved it! so, this starts our craft project days! here are some pictures and a video...

menu...

2009-09-22T15:29:00.003-04:00

well i am going to start blogging about what we eat each week. and ill include some recipes! i really want this to look back on to make it easier when i plan out my week. well here i go...

monday september 22 vietnam fried rice

from the cookbook More With Less.

tuesday september 23 slow cooker chili

from the cookbook Simply in Season. (i use this all of the time!!!) but i have altered some of the recipes to what we like

recipe:

1 pound ground beef, venison, or turkey

brown in large fry pan.

1 onion (chopped)

1-2 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 cup green pepper (chopped)

1 cup celery (chopped)

add and saute for 3-5 minutes. place in slow cooker

3 cups cooked kidney beans or pinto beans

1 cup cooked black beans

4 cups tomatoes (chopped)

3-4 TB chili powder

1 TB agave or honey

1 cup corn

1 TB worcestershire sauce

add and cook on high for 15 minutes then on low for 8-10 hours.

serve as a soup or over rice or pasta.

so the smell of this cooking in your kitchen all day is amazing! you have to try it! so yummy! we like to top it off with some sour cream and shredded cheese! happy fall!

wednesday september 23 turkey blts and tater tots!

everybody loves tots!!!

i always make my bacon in the oven. its super easy and less mess.

just put some foil down on a large baking sheet lay the bacon flat and bake in a 375 preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. i like mine really crispy so i usually wait until it is pretty brown.

thursday september 24 chicken salad piccata

i got this recipe from one of rachel ray's magazines

here it is chicken salad piccata (i never use capers) so yummy!

friday september 25 chicken fajitas

from simply in season...

if you make this. make the marinade the night before, so the chicken can sit in the marinade.

recipe:

1 pound chicken breasts (cut up into strips)

barbecue marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 TB red wine vinegar

2 TB bbq sauce

2 TB dry mustard

1 tsp worcesteshire sauce

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

combine and add meat. (i usually put marinade and chicken in a big Ziploc bag) coat chicken and refrigerate at least 12 hours.

remove chicken from marinade and stir fry in 1 TB oil until browned leave in pan while stir frying veggies

4 cups of veggies: onion (chopped), green/red peppers (sliced), carrots (thinly sliced) (these are a must!), yellow squash (sliced), or whatever veggies you have or want to put in.

ground pepper

toss veggies with several dashes of pepper, stir fry over high heat in 2 tsp oil.

add the chicken to veggies.

serve in warm tortillas with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, tomatoes, or whatever you want.

these are so good! i usually double it so i can have leftovers for the next day!

saturday september 26 out to eat

sunday september 27 hearty broccoli soup

ruby's favorite!

from simply in season

recipe:

2 cups of potatoes (diced)

1 cup onion (chopped)

1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)

1/2 cup celery (minced)

1 cup water

cook together for 5 minutes

2 cups broccoli (chopped)

add and continue to cook an additional 5-10 minutes

3 cups milk

2 chicken or veggie bouillon cubes (use these, they are much healthier for you) i can usually find them in the natural section of my local grocery store

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

add and heat to boiling

1 cup milk

1/3 cup flour

blend until smooth in a small bowl (very important) stir into the soup and cook just until thickened. turn off heat

2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)

add and stir until melted

i usually double this too. this freezes well!

Well that is what we are eating for dinner this week!

oh you know what. on sunday mornings i make pancakes here is an awesome pancake recipe!

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup whole wheat white flour

3 TB sugar

3 1/2 TB baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

sift together in a mixing bowl

1 egg (well beaten)

1 cup milk

3 TB oil

1 TB molasses or honey

combine separately and pour into flour mixture. stir just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Do not beat! fry in a hot, greases fry pan.

this usually serves 3-4 with other sides.

remember to use pure maple syrup! go to your local farmer's market and see if anyone sells local maple syrup! and you know what, buy local honey too. eating local honey can help with allergies!

smiles.

ruby...

2009-08-23T22:21:00.001-04:00

mexico.

2009-08-09T07:16:00.000-04:00

I am on my way to mexico! We will be there for 5 days! My mom is awesome and is taking me on vacation with her!!

I am so excited. I also need to just relax!

I'm going to miss ruby and mike! But I know they will be fine. Ruby gets to spend some quality time with her grandma barbara and papa!

Well, I'm off to the beach! With spf 45!

what is this?

2009-07-29T16:05:00.003-04:00

"what is this?" has started. ruby has been pointing to everything and asking, "what is this?"

fun fun.

funny.

2009-07-19T10:38:00.002-04:00

this is just funny. this is right after ruby pooped in the potty for the first time. she tried to wipe her own bottom and she left some toilet paper behind...

husband and daughter.

2009-07-19T10:07:00.002-04:00

so mike just recently had a birthday. we had a great night. i hope he enjoyed his birthday. during the day he worked out in the yard (while i took a nap, oops) and then just the two of us went to martini for dinner then had a drink at lindeys. mike is great. he works so hard at work. he is an amazing dad. ruby is so excited to see him every day when he comes home. lately mike has been putting ruby to bed and i know for sure she loves it. and i am so thankful that he has been doing it. i know its probably hard to get home and then have to sometime battle with her to calm down. but he does a great job and their relationship is growing stronger because of bedtime. he is a great husband. i am super emotional usually and he always finds a way to bring me back to reality. he is patient and is always supporting me. i love him.

ruby is growing so fast. so, she can count to 10, sing her abc's (with a little help), knows all of her colors, is almost potty trained, is sleeping in a big girl bed, is putting words together to form sentences, listens to us most of the time, she is a big girl.

ruby is funny.

she will flirt on demand, mike will say, "ruby can you flirt?" and then she will tilt her head to the side, look at us with these googly eyes and say "hello", or "i la lu" or "oh la la"

she calls robyn, rhinown. still calls uncle jake, oh kaka. calls phil, lil. when she says here name is usually sounds like boobie. she calls tom, tom now, no more mot (usually).

she is constantly jumping or trying to skip.

she is still obsessed with yo gabba gabba. but that show is great so i am ok with that.

she still calls mike papa. she has started to call her grandmas, mee mah. she has started to call her grandpas pee pah. weird i have know clue where those came from.

she will dance anywhere she is.

she loves avocados.

well, yeah ruby is awesome

so yesterday we ran 7 miles and i felt awesome!

i think i am officially becoming addicted to running.

but im ok with that.

big girl bed!

2009-07-06T07:56:00.003-04:00

last night ruby slept in her big girl bed! well, it took us a while to get her to sleep. i think mike finally got her to sleep around midnight. but after that she slept in it all night long and is still sleeping now. so, first night down, lets see how she does tonight. im pretty sure naps will be horrible. but we will see. but wow. no more crib.

run, ruby, coffee, and friends.

2009-07-04T08:11:00.006-04:00

well the first week of training went great! (well, i have to run 3 miles tomorrow) i feel awesome!

this past thursday and today i ran by myself and i actually enjoyed it. i dont think i would like to run by myself all of the time, but it was peaceful! today i ran 6 miles in 60 minutes and i loved every minute of the run. it was beautiful outside.

so last night we let ruby stay up to watch the fireworks and she loved it! she was pretty bummed when they were over. she kept on saying "pretty!" and really loved the purple ones!

ruby is starting to really talk and i love it. she tries so hard to communicate whatever she is thinking and usually i can understand. but sometimes i have no clue. she is starting to pee on the potty! she did it all my herself once. so i think its time for us to push it. oh man.

i am not drinking caffeine these days. its hard. but i think it is helping me sleep. i want a big cup of coffee right now! i think today i will treat myself to a decaf coffee. but overall i think i feel better without it.

well, i am really excited to go to chicago this weekend for stacey's bachellorette party! i miss those girls all the time. i feel like this weekend will be the last time for a while we can all go out all together. im sure more babies are about to be born. i love all of them and i am so proud of us for staying as close as we are. it is rare to keep in touch with grade school friends for this long and we are even great friends still!

marathon training.

2009-06-28T22:52:00.000-04:00

Here we go. We are starting our marathon training tomorrow!

I am excited and nervous.

Easy 4 miles tomorrow.

Wish me luck.

I can do this.I know I can.

ruby is 2.

2009-06-12T10:41:00.005-04:00

ruby is 2 years old today.

mike and i went in her room this morning to sing happy birthday to her, i asked her, "what is today?" she said, "A BIRTHDAY!"

i love her...

fun.

2009-06-01T09:48:00.004-04:00

come on everyone! its national running day on wednesday!

http://www.runningday.org/index.asp

running has been really great lately. kelsie and i are building our milelage and we are feeling awesome! i got new shoes the other day. it was kind of sad to retire my first pair of running shoes, but it was needed.

so robyn introduced me to nia. nia is http://www.nianow.com/about-us/the-technique

and it is amazing. i really want to get certified so i can teach nia. that would be a great job! so i am looking into it. we will see what happens. but if you can find a nia class, go! you will love it.

mike, robyn, phil and i went to a clippers game yesterday. it was fun. the new stadium is beautiful. can't wait to go to more games.

oh, ruby and i went to the clintonville farmers market this past saturday. we are going to make that our normal saturday routine now. great food. great people. just fun! ruby loved the live music the most. i loved the delicious strawberries. yum.

rachel getting married.

2009-05-24T15:29:00.002-04:00

i really think i understand what grace is now from watching rachel getting married.

watching it, kicked my butt.

it is one of the best films i have ever seen.

watch it.

2.

2009-05-20T10:12:00.004-04:00

ruby is almost 2 years old. i can not beilieve it. what happened? here are some things about ruby.

she has an outgoing personality.

she has an opinion about everything.

she is sensitive.

she loves yo gabba gabba.

she calls me mommy and mike papa.

she loves to dance.

she loves to go byebye (which is really just outside).

she is stubborn.

she is a showoff.

she knows the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and O.

she thinks she can sing her abc's.

she loves pasta and soup.

she sleeps with all 5 of her yo gabba gabba friends.

she loves books.

she loves to play "nit me" (get me) with papa (she jumps on mike when he is laying down).

she loves smoothies.

she loves maggie meyers (first person she asks about every day is maggie usually)

when she is in trouble she says, "hello".

she loves to dress up.

she calls uncle jake, "oh kaka".

she says, "i la lu" (i love you).

well, i could go on forever. i love her. these days are sad for me. we are slowly weaning off of nursing. which means she is a big girl now. im pretty emotional about it, but also so proud of us for going for 2 years. so, basically i would like her weaned completely by her birthday, so we have a little over 3 weeks. i will feel like we are missing something for a while when she is not nursing. she would nurse for years im sure. but also, i think she is showing signs that she is ready to be done. weird.

muno and ruby.

2009-05-13T18:52:00.001-04:00

oh kaka.

2009-05-10T10:18:00.004-04:00

jake graduated yesterday! i am so proud of him. yesterday was a great day! ruby and i got to hang out with some of our favorite family!

my brother inspires me a lot! he is full of passion and love! here is something jake wrote...

100 Dollars:

What it Costs to Give Back

My life is nothing to preach about. I would say I’ve had a very normal life, whatever normal means. I grew up in a relatively religious household. My grandma was my influence to go to church every Sunday. As a family we attended a Mormon Church. The greatest part about being a child was the idea of God. You never questioned who he was and what he was capable of. He was it! When my grandma left we started going to a Methodist Church and I was enrolled in a Catholic School. I was getting religion from all angles. I still had my faith and attended church every Sunday. While I was at the Catholic school I never participated in the “church” part. I never took the ashes or did confessional like all the other kids. I simply sat quietly and watched, with my sister. After I started attending a public school life became busy and church every Sunday turned to “We’ll go next week”. Then my father got a religious bug and we took a trip, which I’ll never forget. After high school I became very interested in philosophy and all the major questions about life. Why are we here? What’s our purpose? Who is God? Is God real? After two philosophy classes, a half dozen books about life and an attempt to read the bible I came to one question; which religion is correct about God and life? Then I started thinking about what I believed. It was a big deal for me at the time because my parents were going through a divorce, my sister just got married and I was ending the first relationship that involved actual love. It was a confusing time and a time I wish I could change. I sinned and sinned a lot! They say that college is supposed to be the best time of your life. No… Not for me. It was the most confusing time of my life! The best move I ever made was getting a job in northern Wisconsin at an all boys’ camp over the summer. The timing was perfect! Everything had just turned for me and I needed to get out! So I left! Then, while at school, I was given a 100-dollar bill.

Before I get into that story I want to fill you in about my life and whom I am and maybe you can figure out why I was so lucky to receive such a special gift.

My “normal” life started on December 9^th, 1983 in a relatively large town in Illinois. Born to my mother and father, I was as healthy and innocent as the child next to me. My father was a carpenter and my mom a hair stylist. She worked in the basement of my grandma’s house for a while but eventually opened her own salon in our basement. I have one sister, Lianne, who is two years older than I am. As I said before, my grandma was the one who took the family to church. We went every week and sometimes-on Saturday. I can only remember bits and pieces of those days but I know it was a time when I never questioned God and who He was. A lady from my grandma’s church looked into my eyes one day and saw something. She said that the Lord has blessed this child to be a leader! There was no ceremony or baptism. But I like to think that this lady knew what she was talking about! I was just a kid so I did all the great things kids do. I caused trouble and got punished. I did good things and got rewarded. Life was great and I never had a worry! Thinking back I can truly say I was blessed with great parents, grandparents and friends!

At this point in my life you would expect me to remember more than I do but it just doesn’t come to me. I think it’s because of my epilepsy. We didn’t notice it until I was 13 but the doctor said that when I would “day dream” I was truly having a petit mal seizure. I can remember times when people would try to get my attention and it would finally come down to them touching me saying “Hey, wake up! “ or when my parents thought that I was just ignoring them… “PAY ATTENTION WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU!” My memories are scarce but what I do remember most is attending the Methodist Church after my grandma moved to Georgia. That’s where I made most of my childhood friends and where I was confirmed. I sang in the church choir, rang the bells, put out candles and attended functions put on by the church. The Kleckner family was a church goin’ family! Then we moved to Oswego. Nothing against the town, it’s a great place to live and I would not mind moving back. But it changed us. Church wasn’t a weekly thing and my life was starting to change.

This is when I went on a trip with my father to Washington, D.C. for the Million Man March. I think my father realized that we had taken a “break” from church so he was trying to establish one final push towards God and living on His path. It was an amazing trip and one I will never forget! First off, it was my dad and I with about 40 other men on a bus traveling from Aurora, Illinois to Washington, D.C. I remember smells and frequent stops for food and bathroom breaks. At the time I really didn’t understand what the Million Man March was all about until I was about 18. A movement that helped inspire different communities to overcome differences, reconcile with their issues and move forward together as one and under one God. I don’t remember the speakers or their speeches for that matter but I do remember the feeling I had when everyone started cheering. It was overwhelming. It was the power of so many different men trying to make a difference in their lives and the lives of their children. I also remember a group of women protesting the inequality of men and women… they were topless.

After that I think my father let me decide whether or not I wanted Jesus in my life. He still tried pushing me in the right direction but I never caught the hint. I attended a Christian basketball camp with my best friend for 3 or 4 years. I learned a lot and I’ll be honest, I do remember the devotions we’d have. One in particular stuck out in my mind. It was the story of King Nebuchadnezzar and the furnace of blazing fire (Daniel 3). This one stuck in my head because it was about three men who stood up for what they believed in and in turn their belief saved them from a blazing fire. Would I ever believe in something with such passion? At that time I didn’t. High school, sports, girls and a social life were more important than attending church. I’m not saying I never went but it dwindled, as I got older. And at one point, I questioned God.

My second year of college I started taking philosophy classes and tried to answer all of my questions. I looked so hard and tried to believe in everything I found. Still, I couldn’t find the truth I was looking for. I didn’t know why I was living my life and I didn’t understand the meaning of faith. I finally asked my sister for help. She was just married and living in Ohio with her husband Mike. They had strong beliefs and an even stronger community of friends. They smiled together, cried together, suffered together and overcame together. It was something I wanted in my life. I needed someone like my sister’s husband. Mike is the type of guy who will give it to you straight. He strongly believes in his faith and answered all my questions in one letter. He told me to stop looking for the reason of life. He said that life isn’t about making a plan and then living that plan; it’s simply about living. He told me to breath and dive in, live it and do it. Overcome, confront, reconcile and love. I’ve lived by those words ever since.

I’m not saying that my life has been perfect but I believe I’m on the right path. I have faith in which who I am and I have faith that the Lord will guide me where I need to go. It is amazing how He works and who he sends into our lives. On a regular day in the fall of 2007 He sent me a young woman that offered me a gift I’ll never forget. It was the third day of class and I was still in “camp” mode. Rugged beard, longer hair, dirty shoes and not exactly clothes you would wear out of the house. I’ve sat next to this woman all three days and I’ve made small talk here and there. I found out that she lived close by with her husband and child. She was tying to finish her health degree and graduate college. At the beginning of this particular class she handed me a folded up note. Thinking nothing of it I said, “Oh thanks” and put it in my pocket. As I was walking towards my dorm after class I opened my note and a 100-dollar bill fell out. The note said,

“Please do not be offended by this. Use this money for anything you need; clothes, shoes, food, or bills. I don’t want anything in return. Let the glory be to God.“

Standing there in amazement I quickly looked around for her but she was gone. I had no clue what to do. I must have read the note 15 times before I took another step. I quickly called my sister and asked for advice. “Don’t spend it on booze!” was her fist choice of words. Obviously that wasn’t on my mind! She told Mike and they both were just as amazed as I was. The conversation got nowhere and I was running late for my next class. Afterwards I called my dad and asked him what I should do with the money. He said to pay it forward, like the movie. “Give it to someone who needs it more than you do” he said. Then I called my mom and she said something similar. Then I called my friends from camp and they told me I could donate the money to charity. None of the advice I was getting seemed right. Although they were all very noble and great ideas I just couldn’t agree with anyone. A couple days later Mike called me asking what I’d do with the money. I told him that I still had no clue and that I’m still looking for advice. He told me to sit on it. Wait for a moment to come where you are absolutely positive it’s the right time. Wait until you are certain it’s time.

After a couple days to think about what had happened I knew I had to confront her and ask her why. After the next class I pulled her aside and asked her why she chose me. She said, “I believe that God speaks to me. He tells me to do these specific things and I’ve never questioned it, I’ve always done them. He told me that you would need this money. So I didn’t question Him and I just did it.” “Wow” was the first word from my mouth. Then I tried to explain to her that there are people out there that need this money way more than I do. Then she said, “I know and you’ll find them.” I hugged her and told her that if she ever needed anything to give me a call. I haven’t seen her since the last day of that class and I still have that 100-dollar bill in my wallet waiting for its purpose.

This story motivates me everyday. I am always trying to find ways to give back to those who don’t have all the luxuries I do and even to those who do. Everyone is in need of something whether it is physical, mental or spiritual. This story also inspires me to be a better teacher, coach, person and mentor for the kids I will soon have in class. It’s not everyday you are blessed with a story like this one but hopefully this will inspire more people to follow in the path of the Lord. Breath and dive in. Overcome, confront, reconcile, and love… Your brother, Jacob.

The end.

mike.

2009-05-03T19:53:00.004-04:00

look what mike built today in our back yard! i am so excited to start planting!

half marathon.

2009-05-02T12:24:00.006-04:00

it was so much fun to watch the half marathon today. it made me want to be running it. you can see the relief, the sense of accomplishment, the excitement, the pain on the faces of the runners that finish. that feeling is great.

ruby loved to watch too. she cheered the runners on.

as we were finishing our run this morning some random guy yelled out his car window, "hey bitch slow down, you are on the sidewalk." huh? he was just jealous. weird.

happy may day.

2009-05-01T11:26:00.001-04:00

chicken fajitas.

2009-04-30T11:34:00.003-04:00

ok so i made some awesome fajitas last night. here is the recipe and you should make them!

if you have simply in season you have this recipe, but those who dont. here ya go! i altered the recipe a bit.

@ 1 1/2 pounds chicken cut into thin strips

cilantro spice paste:

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

4 tbl soy sauce

2 tbl oil

2 tbl chili powder 4 tsp ground cumin

juice of 2 limes

mix together and put in big ziploc bag, add chicken strips and make sure the marinade is covering all the chicken.

put in fridge at least one hour. (i suggest overnight)

stir fry over high heat in 2 tlb oil. remove from pan and keep warm while stir-frying veggies.

4 cups veggies: onions (chopped), green or red pepper (sliced), carrots (thinly sliced), yellow squash (sliced) and pepper

toss veggies with several dashes of pepper. stir-fry over high heat in 2 tbl oil.

add chicken.

serve in warm four tortillas adding shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocado, etc.

so good! make sure you save some for lunch the next day, cause i just ate the leftovers and it was maybe even better today! lunch is what inspired me to write this blog.

yoga.

2009-04-30T07:42:00.006-04:00

i love the way yoga makes me feel. i simply cant afford to practice yoga in a studio, so i am going to practice at home. my goal is to do at least 25 minutes every day. the days that i am supposed to cross train ill do a full hour. i am so lucky to have robyn here to help me out! she is amazing. oh you should check out her website.

www.robynadler.com

ruby loves yoga also. she has been working on her headstands and somersaults. here is her downward facing dog...

etepanetapee.

2009-04-27T13:29:00.002-04:00

so this weather is great. molly and i ran this morning. at 6am it was already 65 degrees! we had a great run. we did about 4 miles and it felt great. im thinking im going to need some new shoes soon. i can feel it in my knees and in my feet. the half marathon is this weekend. i cant wait to go and cheer them on. i know im going to be jealous and want to be running. but i am excited to watch.

jessica and jeremy will soon be parents! penelope! i cant wait to meet this little girl. they are going to be great parents and so on top of everything. ruby is also excited to meet "etepanetapee".

today kelsie and i weeded some onion beds in their backyard. it made me want to get our backyard going. we need to do that soon. like this weekend hopefully. so if you are reading this and know anything about planting a garden come help us!

mike is working so much these days. we miss him. ruby talks about him a lot during the day and is constantly saying "papa nit me" which translates to papa get me. she loves her papa!

well, ruby is about to go take a nap and i am going to do something. hopefully something productive around here. maybe empty out the dishwasher and clean the kitchen floors.

fun.

sara and dex.

2009-04-23T07:46:00.000-04:00

sara and dex...

grandma lisa.

2009-04-23T07:38:00.001-04:00

well its been a great week! monday i went to indianapolis to visit with sara and meet dex. it was a quick but fun trip. that baby is adorable and so laid back. i am so glad i got to meet him. it was great to see sara also. she is a great mom and is such a natural! here is dex...

my mom came out here to hang out with ruby so i could go to indianapolis. she is awesome!!! ruby absolutely loves her and is going to be really upset when she wakes up today and grandma is not here. i am so mad we did not take any pictures while my mom was here. i have been slacking on pictures these days. but yeah thank you so much mom for coming out here and everything you did out here! we love you!

yesterday kelsie and i had a great run. we walked a full mile then ran 3 miles. it felt great. i feel like we are back into running! today we went to that class and worked on upper body. and oh man i can barely type on this keyboard. i am going to be sore tomorrow. but it would be great to have some buff arms!

the weather is supposed to be beautiful today and the throughout the weekend. we are going to spend most of our days outside.

love.love.

wet.

2009-04-20T07:19:00.003-04:00

wow that was a great run! really wet, but really great! im so glad we got to run with molly today. we did probably 3.5 miles running. it felt awesome. that was the first time i ran in rain like that. it was almost 60 degrees, so the rain was perfect.

well, my mom is trying to fly here today. hopefully she will get on a flight. then im off to indianapolis. im sure ruby is going to love being with grandma while i am gone.

this coffee tastes so good.

rain.

2009-04-19T22:04:00.002-04:00

looks like its going to be a wet run tomorrow. oh well.I'm excited that molly is going to run with us.

today was a good day. relaxing and rainy. we spent some time as a family doing headstands, somersaults, and yoga! Ruby is so excited she can do somersaults and mike is awesome at headstands!

spring.

2009-04-18T07:33:00.003-04:00

i felt spring this morning.

our run was great today. we did 4 miles with less walking.

thanks to kyle meyers, all i want right now is a donut.

yellow tulips.

2009-04-17T11:51:00.004-04:00

ruby and i got to spend some time outside! it is beautiful out! we took a long walk and ruby got to ride in her wagon. franklinton is a little bumpy for a wagon, but it worked out.

we are still waiting to see if she gets chickenpox. i dont really think she is going to get them anymore. which kind of stinks cause i wanted to get them out of the way. oh well.

here is ruby outside by our 3 flowers we have in our front yard...

tonight mike and i are going out to eat with some friends. im really excited to spend time with them! especially matt and kelli, i miss them so much!

another friend i miss so much is sara! i can not wait to meet her baby dex! my mom is coming out here on monday to watch ruby so i can go out to indianapolis to see sara and meet dex! i can not wait! so, sara, if you read this i am coming on monday. dont really know what time but sometime monday. i really wish i could bring ruby. i really want ruby to meet dex but we cant chance dex getting the chickenpox. oh man i would love to take pictures of ruby and dex together. it kind of makes me want to cry that i cant bring her. well, ruby and i will have to go to vegas soon!!!

i am a little antsy today. i really want to run but today is my rest day. so i need to rest. but i really dont want to.

love.

toast.

2009-04-16T10:37:00.001-04:00

breakfast time...

oh i love her.

2009-04-16T07:47:00.000-04:00

coffee.

kart wheel.

2009-04-15T23:05:00.002-04:00

i love running around goodale park. i never really get sick of it. so, today kelsie and i ran around 3 times with taking some walking breaks. thats 3 miles. i feel great.

well i need to go to bed right now. but i feel like i have to write something, because i well i just want to.

i am actually excited about the workout tomorrow! so, running is making me a better person. it is proof! i am happier, i am more energetic, i am more with it!

i took a 3 1/2 month break from running. and i am so glad we are back! i love it. well, tomorrow i am going to a class at the ymca and they usually do kart wheels and headstands! we will see how that goes.

good night. i should have been in bed a while ago!

ruby!

2009-04-14T14:48:00.000-04:00

Well, ruby climbed out of her crib today. Well fell out really. So it looks like we have to transition to a bed. I am not looking forward to this at all! anyone have tips for us? I'm thinking about putting a gate at her door so she can't get out of her room. I feel like shutting the door on her is mean. And we will have to make sure her room is completely safe. Well, wish us luck, cause I do not think she is ready for this. But we can't risk her falling on her head.

sleepless nights here we come! might as well start potty training too.

This is crazy! Ruby is still nursing morning and night and will be sleeping in a big girl bed!

wow.

2009-04-14T07:26:00.002-04:00

so i went to this exercise class with kelsie this morning and it kicked my butt! oh man. my legs feel like jelly. but it feels so good. we will see if i can walk in the morning.

but right now all i want is a big cup of coffee.

i love mornings.

beautiful!

2009-04-13T08:50:00.000-04:00

well today kelsie and i got back out there and started running again. it was awesome! we both felt great and the sky was amazing.

in total we did about 3 miles. we ran some and walked some. but for our first run back it was perfect. i can not believe we ran a half marathon last fall. and we are about to run a full marathon this fall! we are awesome.

i am going to try to blog more these days. i hope to blog about running a lot and just life. so yeah here i am.

i am a stress mess! i need to stop worrying about everything. i am hoping this will be some sort of a release for me. so, if you ever read this, you could encourage me to continue to write. that would be great.

this will have no rhyme or reason. ill probably write like i think and talk. which is everywhere.

well, right now we are waiting to see if ruby has the chickenpox. she has had a fever for the past two days and was exposed to shingles 15 days ago by my grandpa dave, he is doing a lot better and is healing. so, this could be a long week for us. i kind of hope she has them so we can just get this out of the way and then we will not have to worry about the vaccination.

our kitchen is yellow. mike was on vacation this past week and painting our kitchen "lemon zest". it feels like our kitchen now. i can not wait to get more color throughout our home.