Rants, Recipes, and Running

I have been very absent from this blog lately! Where do I even begin... Here's what I've been up to! Training : I have a race on my horizon, at last! I've decided to do the Tempe AZ Lifetime Olympic Triathlon in September. I have 4 other friends that are doing it as well, so it will be a good excuse for a "girls weekend". I'm not following a specific training plan. I still like to try lifting weights at least 2 times/week. I've found from triathlons in the past (for me), it is most important to make running a priority. In a triathlon, you're running when you're the most tired. For those of you not aware, an Olympic tri is a 0.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, and a 6.2 mile run! I've been terrible about swimming this time around. I'm so scared of getting an ear infection, and I seem to have a hard time getting my butt in that pool! Dreaming : About our upcoming Hawaii vacation! We have been planning this for about 1 year, so I am so ...

No matter how busy life gets, I whole-heartedly believe that every relationship needs "date night". And "date night" should be a routine. "Date night" doesn't have to be a fancy night out over a plate of surf-and-turf. It doesn't have to be a night out at the movies. "Date night" is about breaking the routine, and spending time together as a couple. I think a routine "date night" is especially important once you start to have children. Not saying it's easy by any means...but every relationship needs 1:1 time away from the day-to-day stressors! Here are my favorite "date nights": 1. Happy Hour, Gelato, and a walk . One of my favorites is going to North, an Italian restaurant in the foothills of Tucson with a gorgeous patio. They have half-priced wine for HH. We share a few appetizers (marghertia pizza...caprese salad...) And then we go for a walk, and finish off the evening with a small gelato. Lots of vari...

This week's 10-on-Tuesday is about "dating". My "dating" history differs from some, for my I met my husband when I was 19 years old. So that was the last time I went on a "first date"! But, here it goes! 1. What is your ideal best date? It completely depends on my mood! Since we don't go out a lot, thought, I would have to say going out to our favorite sushi restaraunt - and finishing off the evening by taking a nice walk. However, there are days where my ideals date consists of going for a long-afternoon-hike, coming home, grilling out in the back yard with a cold beer, and starting a fire. (and roasting marshmallows is a must) 2. How long does it take you to get ready to go on a date? Well from shower to out the door -- probably an hour. If clothes didn't matter, it'd be 30. But I usually spend an excessively, unnatural amount of time trying on numerous outfits. 3. What would you wear on the date? Depends on where we are going ...

The decision was made that we were due for a night out ! We aren't offically "members" of the group - but through the company Ryan works for, we always receive inoformation on a group called " Tucson's Young Professionals ". It's a group of people in their mid twenties - early thirties that his company hooks their new-hires up with. It's basically a networking organization throughout our city of various companies. They do individual events, and then monthy an event called "First Friday's" occurs downtown at the Art Museum. They have music, a bar, a cigar patio, "speed networking" and every month they exhibit some form of entertainment. The array of people there was interesting.I was expecting all...businessy people. (Wow, wise term.) But there was every profession from pharmacists, nurse (me!), engineers, models, personal fitness trainers, accountants, the list goes on. This Friday they featured " Urban Art ". I t...