Rants, Recipes, and Running

Today is my Friday! Thank goodness. Not that it was a bad week - but it just wasn't an awesome week. I don't really have a particular reason why my week wasn't spectacular. I'm just happy it's done. Period. I didn't do one last week...so I'm going to include the past 2 weeks headliners. Don't worry, it won't be too lengthy. Monday-Thursday of this week were pretty bland. My Monday night dinner dates with my friends Heather & Kristy and their boys. They are cousins, and have this traditional date every Monday night...but I have joined in the past 2 weeks. It's really been nice to catch up with them. I don't know what I'd do without my girlfriends!! Ryan's visit last weekend. We had a blast! It went faster than the blink of an eye! I got home from work Friday night, we went out for dinner, we had Saturday together, and he left Sunday after lunch. Saying goodbye gets harder every time..... I'm ready for this phase to be be...

This is almost 2 weeks late...but my computer has been acting up. And therefore, I haven't been able to blog! I raced the AZ distance classic half marathon March 23! I figured I better race recap before my 10 mile trail race on Saturday! My final time was 1:51 - with an 8:29/mile average. This is my 3rd time doing this race. Every time I forgot how hilly it is! Mile 8-10 were brutal. I went from doing 8:20's to 9:00's. So shaving my time down to 8:30 in the end made me satisfied! I finished my full marathon in January with such a bitter taste in my mouth, that I needed a redeem myself. I have to be honest this is the best I've ever physically felt after a race! I wasn't nauseated or sick to my stomach like usual. A crazy thing about the conditions in this race was the drastic temperature change. It went from 46 degrees F at the start @ 7 am. It was 79 degrees at  the finish line @ 8:51 am! Some of the people complained about the heat, but to be honest ...

I'm am really trying to get more consistent about blogging, as it is something I really enjoy. But my problem is I often will write an entire post, and then delete it -- out of insecurity. I have been thinking of doing a "weekly top 10" -- but I worry there will be weeks where I won't find 10 things to write about. ;)So here are my weekly headliners! What defined my week...... Monday I planned on driving home from New Mexico in the morning to get home in time to do some housework, laundry, and prepare for the week ahead. During my run that morning (while Ryan was at his flight) I thought - why not stay ? I don't really need to get back early. Best decision ever ! I cleaned his hotel room, make him protein balls, read, blogged, made him lunch - and surprised him when he came home at 1 pm! I only actually got about 30 more minutes with him...but it was totally worth it! My hospital went into a "Code White" this week. Code White means the hospital is...

Since January 25 of last year, it  seems Ryan and I have lived in different states more than we lived in the same state. He was in Alabama from January 25-March 6. Home for 1 week. Then in Colorado from March until May. And now he's in New Mexico for a 4 month school. The nice thing is this is his last school. I also have no place to complain. My husband is not deployed. He's in the US in safe places. We don't have any kids. I have a job to keep me busy, running trails to enjoy, and a group of supportive girlfriends to keep me laughing! But it will be nice to live under the same roof again. To be honest, I'm getting a little irritated when people tell me this separation is "good for me" and "good for us" and "will teach me how to be independent" . Well, let me tell you....I've learned how to be independent by this point. I know how to take care of myself. We've learned to value each other and our time. We're ready to...

There is never a dull moment. I'm becoming more and more of a non-planner these days. For example, I am writing to you from the hotel room (that my husband currently lives in) at Holloman AFB. My detailed weekly itinerary has written that I was to be on the road back home at 0930. However....I have decided to stick around until Ryan finishes his flight, so we could have lunch together. It may be a few weeks before we see each other, so adding on 4 extra hours isn't going to kill me!  The most spontaneous part of the weekend was our little get-away. Wednesday night, as I was packing Ryan requested I bring along my backpack and some camping gear "just in case we go backpacking".  To be honest, I wasn't all that keen about going backpacking this weekend. The winds have been nasty (40-50 mph), with dust storms. I also know that the mountains near Alamogordo, NM are quite cold. 30's at night.  But, I don't like to turn down a potentially fun adventu...

I've been poor about blogging consistently. I attribute that to my very slow and crappy computer, and busy schedule. Lately I come home from work, spend my evening scrambling around trying to catch up on housework, read my book, and crash at 9 pm! Girl has gotta go to bed early if she wants to get up at 4:30 AM to work out! I could look at buying a new computer. My laptop only can handle one webpage at a time (you can't have multiple windows open). But, I have chosen to spend my free money on backpacking gear, gas money to see my husband, and traveling. Which in the long run makes me much happier than a new laptop! So here is my currently to catch you up.... Current Book : Orphan Train. This is book #2 for my family's virtual book club. It is one of those books that I cannot put down! I like the style of the book and how it jumps from a character in the 2000's, and a character in the 1920's - who both experience similar abandonment of being orphaned. I high...

Well, I'm another year older! I have to admit that I feel much older than 26. Not physically, but my spirit does. I recently read a blog post about "Problems of a 20-something" - and I don't think I could relate to a single one on the list. Much of it was in relation to being broke, hung over, weird roommates, having a difficult time adjusting to the "real world's" early mornings. I haven't really faced any of those problems. I like mornings. I enjoy being up before the sun - there is something exciting about it in feeling like I'm getting "bonus hours" I don't like staying out past 10 ... because I'll be waking up before the sunrise. I don't ask my parents for money. Budgeting is fun! It's like a challenge every month to see how "below" the cap we can get on various categories. I don't like going to bars, because the music is too loud, and then I can't hear what anyone is saying - so end up just...