I can’t believe that I haven’t been home on a weekend in 5 weeks.  Even though it was all fun stuff (vacation, camping, etc.), I cannot tell you how nice it was to have a weekend at home with nothing big on the agenda.

Friday night we had a BBQ at Megan and Luke’s for Megan’s Mom’s birthday.  It was HOT that night but we still had a blast.

Playing Frisbee!

You can see Lu’s new haircut in these pictures:

There were flowers from Megan’s garden that I arranged. Arranging flowers is not my strong suit but I thought these turned out really nicely.

We had a HUGE salmon!

Everybody enjoying the feast!

Porter’s Gramma and Lucy hanging out:

Fireworks!

And Lu’s reaction!

Porter’s initial reaction:

Lucy continued to love them:

Porter, not so much:

Then we had musical entertainment!

And then last but not least, “cake” for the birthday girl.  Megan got this recipe out Sunset and it was for grilled strawberries and angel food cake.  It was apparently delicious.

On Saturday, Lu and I went to the Farmer’s Market with Lissa and Tessa, then the park and then out to lunch with Shaun at the Crow’s Inn.  He was on the way back from an epic mountain bike ride and liked the restaurant so much that he called us to join him for lunch.  I’m glad we did (but I didn’t get pictures).

On Sunday I attacked the garden or as Shaun lovingly called it, “Chelsea’s Jungle”:

Most of that is weeds!

In the middle of weeding, I took a break to get some pictures of Lu.  She picked out her entire outfit.

It was finally done!

It looks so much better, don’t you think?

Lu and I harvested some veggies-the garden is about to EXPLODE!

Lu LOVED everything that we picked:

Then, later, to beat the 100 degree heat, Daddy and Lu ran through the sprinklers!

What a FUN weekend AT HOME!!!!

We’ll be flying to PA on Thursday so I thought I’d do a Thankful Tuesday instead.

Today, I’m thankful for 6 glorious years with this guy:

We celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary on Saturday and had a really awesome, kid-free night.  Shaun’s cycling buddies had given us a very generous gift certificate to Chandlers Steakhouse A YEAR AGO and we just used it for this dinner.  It was amazing and a once in a lifetime dinner-we can’t afford that ourselves! Especially with my new gig! We even ordered a bottle of Prosecco!

If you would have told me that day 6 years ago  in Jamaica that I would love this man more today than I did that day, I would have told you that you were crazy.

If you would have told me 2 and 3/4 years ago that I would love my husband more today than I did that day, I would have told you that you were crazy.

Guess what?  I love my husband more and more every day.  Sure we don’t always agree but I know, without a doubt, that he has my back and that he loves me no matter what.  He is amazing and WE are amazing.  Here’s to another 60!

(I toasted to 60 more years on Saturday and he laughed.  I (jokingly) told him that I was going to divorce him when I was 90-yeah right!)

Our 6 year anniversary also marked our 1 year moving to Boise anniversary!  Wow, what an amazing and life changing year!

A few months ago I sent Shaun some links to camera bags that I’d like for Mother’s Day.  Last week, he emailed me saying that they were out of stock and asked if I wanted anything else.  I told him that I really, truly don’t want anything other than a day with Shaun and Lu, some Lucy artwork, and to not cook.  Yesterday I got all of that and more.  Best Mother’s Day ever!

First, I got to sleep in and then we went to a few local nurseries to get supplies for the garden.  After that we went to 13th Street Pub and Grill for a yummy lunch including a free mimosa and yummy bloody mary.  We then had a (much needed) family nap followed by an afternoon in the garden.  The night ended with a dinner out at the Ram.  We were supposed to go to our friend’s house for Friend Dinner but they had to cancel.  I told Shaun that we could just have leftovers but he said absolutely not and that we were going out.  Okay then!  It really was a nice family day AND my husband built me a trellis for me peas!

Evidently I had a hard time with the focus yesterday

Look at that hand made trellis!

I also got some garden markers:

And Lettuce!

Last weekend we went to a native plant sale and Shaun terraced an area in the backyard for it.  Here’s our native plant garden

And the reason my day was so wonderful!

It’s the second edition of Shaun Can Cook!  This week’s selection? Green Curry!

Ingredients:

-Cooked rice (Use the rice cooker)
-Half an onion
-1/4 pound green beans
-2 heads of broccoli
-1 green bell pepper
-8 oz frozen peas
-8 oz-1 pound protein (I gave Shaun the choice of tofu or shrimp and he chose shrimp)
-2 TBSP honey
-1 TBSP Braggs Amino
-1 tsp green curry paste
-1 can coconut milk

Implements Needed:

-Cutting board
-Knife
-Big skillet or Wok
-Strainer to defrost shrimp
-Spoon

-Measuring spoons

-Can Opener

-Lid for the pan.

Instructions:

-Make sure your child is sufficiently occupied. She likes to sort food into different colored bowls.  Sunflower seeds being a favorite.

-Place shrimp in the colander and run cold water over them or soak them for ~5 minutes. If you are using a different type of protein, cut it up into bite sized pieces.
-Cut the onion, first in half and then into longer pieces.

-Put aside on a plate (not in the pan)
-Trim each end of the green beans.  You can do multiple at one time.

-Set aside on a plate.

-Trim broccoli so it’s just the tree part.

-Cut the bell pepper in half.

-Cut out the stem, seeds, and white membrane.

-Chop into long pieces.

-Turn the stove on to medium high heat and put 1 tsp of green curry (more if you like it spicier and are not feeding a child) and the can of coconut milk in the pan and stir it up.

-Next add 1 TBSP of Braggs and 2 TBSP of honey. Stir.

-If you’re using meat or tofu, add it now and cook for about 5 minutes.

-Add all the veggies you chopped.

-Cook for about 5 minutes, covered.

-If you’re using shrimp, add shrimp and peas.

-Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes more-until the peas are no longer frozen and the shrimp is pink.

-Serve on a bed of rice.

-Sit back and watch as your daughter eats it all up and asks for more.

Another HIT by Shaun.  He’s doing great!  See?  Cooking is easy!

You get a twofor today since I totally spaced and forgot last weeks!

First, I’m thankful for my beautiful Christmas tree and the experience that we got to have finding it.

Second, I’m thankful that my dear husband is learning how to cook.  Not because he wants to but because he wants to make some of my evenings a little bit easier and to take some of the cooking burden off of my shoulders.  What a guy!

(Tell us how you really feel honey.)

Last night I taught him how to make Green Curry and it was seriously delicious. 

I walked him through the steps but he made it all.by.himself.  Recipe to follow!

I have so much to be thankful for, here’s to NOT forgetting Thankful Thursday again!!!

“You are beautiful. You are strong.” That was my mantra while running yesterday.  I went into the race with a goal of running 12 minute miles.  I finished with an average of 12:02 minute miles.  YAY!

Here I am before the race with Shaun and Lu:

and Luke and Megan:

I was confident I could do it but worried about my hip.  I had started to have some twinges of hip flexor pain on the left side earlier in the week.  The last time I ran a half marathon without swimming and biking beforehand (Half-Ironman Distance Triathlon) I hurt my right hip flexor.  I got bursitis and tendonitis in my right hip after the 2005 Nike Women’s Half Marathon and was in physical therapy for months.  I thought I’d never get to run again. Of course I did run again and even did the Ironman 2 years later. 

Running exclusively has always been hard for me and I’ve learned that I can only run 3 times a week.  The rest of my training has to be cross training or I hurt myself.  I’ve attempted to train for 2 marathons and both times, I hurt myself.

ANYWAY, I was worried.  I did a ton of stretching and tried to think positive thoughts.  I didn’t think about my race much but the morning of I started really worrying that my hip would fail me.

I tried to put that thought in the back of my mind and lined up to race!  First, let me say that this is the smallest race that I have ever been a part of.  We drove up and parked right across the street.  I got there 45 minutes early and I could have arrived 15 minutes early.  It was crazy how cozy and not stressful it was-CRAZY.  At about 8:55, they announce, we’re starting in 5 minutes, make your way over to the start!

Start we did! There I go!

My first mile was my fastest and most painful.  My hip REALLY hurt and I was feeling VERY discouraged.  When my phone announced that I ran the first mile in 10:50, I decided to slow down and massage my hip a bit.  By the 4th mile I was feeling pretty good and by the 6th mile I was in my groove.  The course started off pretty, then was UGLY, then was really pretty again.  Around the time that it got pretty again (mile 11) I was starting to feel it.  I slowed down (and had my slowest mile at mile 12) and got discouraged again.  Then I told myself that ANYONE could run 2 miles and that that it was less than half an hour of pain.  Thankfully my awesome cheering squad (Luke, Megan, Lissa, Tessa, Shaun, and Lucy) had set up camp just after I heard that I had run an almost 13 minute mile.  They almost missed me because the girls were having so much fun playing.

I saw them yelling and running towards me and I though “Ha! Those people almost missed the person they’re cheering on. That’s funny. OH wait, those are MY people!”  They came running and I got cheered on by some of my favorite people in the world.

Here’s Lu and Megan cheering on other runners and giving them fives:

They were seriously at the right spot!  It was all I needed to light a fire under my butt and make me run!

When I hit mile 13, I started crying-they were happy tears.  At some of my lowest times after Lu was born and I was being so hard on myself, I thought my racing days were over.  They’re not!  I finished strong and my cheering squad was right there at the finish line!

Stats:

Mile 1: 10:50 min/mi
Mile 2: 11:36 min/mi
Mile 3: 12:09 min/mi
Mile 4: 11:56 min/mi
Mile 5: 12:13 min/mi
Mile 6: 11:48 min/mi
Mile 7: 11:50 min/mi
Mile 8: 12:08 min/mi
Mile 9: 12:06 min/mi
Mile 10: 11:58 min/mi
Mile 11: 12:33 min/mi
Mile 12: 12:50 min/mi
Mile 13: 12:33 min/mi

Finish time: 2:37:41 Average 12:02 min/mi

I mentioned above that I “heard” my pace and that my phone “announced” how fast I was going.  My Garmin broke about 2 months ago (it won’t turn on) and I downloaded a free app for my phone called Endomondo.  It’s awesome!  It tells me at every mile how fast I went and how long I’ve been running.  I just put it in one of the pockets on my fuel belt and I have a great training partner PLUS if I get in trouble, I have my phone to call home.  I will not be getting a replacement for my Garmin!  You can also set a “goal” time and it will tell you if you’re going too slow.

Look at the cool readout it gives me online:

I highly recommend it!  It works with: Works with: Nokia, HTC, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, HP, Eten, Palm, Motorola, as well as Garmin devices.

So, there you have it.  I did it!  I’m really proud of myself and can’t wait for the next race!

I have lots of exciting things to talk about!  But first I have to complain about ME.  Lucy woke up last night at 1:30 to eat (I think she must be growing because she ate A LOT yesterday) after I got her back down, I never went back to sleep. WTF?!?!?  That means I got maybe maybe 3 hours of sleep last night.  ARGH.  Oh well.

First I wanted to answer Monica’s question-I know I could have done it in the comments of my post that she commented  on but I’m too lazy so I’ll answer it here-I only keep track of how much milk I pump in my spreadsheet.  She only gets a bottle at daycare.  When we’re home she’s a boob feeder-thank GAWD!  I’ve only ever fed her a bottle once and it was because she was having trouble breathing and was biting me.  She much prefers the boob.

Next-fun stuff!

I planted my garden yesterday:

Tomatoes:

Cucumbers and Bell Peppers:

I should have veggies and tomatoes (aren’t they technically a fruit?) in about 60 days. WHIPPEE!!!

Second-We.Are.Going.To.Hawaii!!!!! WHIPPEE x2! My husband gave me a very good piece of advice about 2 years ago. When I wanted a baby BAD, I bugged and bugged and bugged him about it. He told me “If you stop talking about it, I’ll want a baby faster.” I didn’t say a word from that point on and what do you know? A month later he was ready for a baby. So I pulled the same tactic here and have not mentioned Hawaii for a week or so. Well last night he showed me a picture of a bike with a bike trailer for a kid (we’ve been looking into renting these locally) and he said “Doesn’t that look neat?” and I said “Yeah…we’ve been looking at those for a few days…” and he said “Yes, but this one is in Kauai!” I’m so excited-we’re going in September.

Third-Since we’re going to Hawaii in September we have to look at dates and Lucy’s birthday is in September (on the 22nd to be exact). I don’t want to be in Hawaii for her actual birthday since I’d like her to have a cupcake on her birthday and she’s allergic to both dairy and soy. Which means I’ll need to make her birthday cupcake for her and even though we’ll have a kitchen at the condo where we’re staying, making cupcakes would be difficult. I know a silly reason but a very valid one to me. Additionally, I want Lucy’s birthday party to be close to her birthday and if we went to Hawaii over her birthday that would cancel out the 2 weekends closest to her birthday. Which brings me to my point. You still with me? I’m an super planner person and so I’ve been thinking about Lucy’s first birthday party for quite some time. I’m not alone though because Shaun said to me 2 weeks ago, “wouldn’t the park be a perfect place for Lucy’s birthday party.” My thoughts exactly sir! Her party is going to be Very Hungry Caterpillar themed and then that theme will no longer be an option because I don’t want Lucy or myself to OD on it. I also want to do cupcakes for the party and thought that I would make them in the shape of the caterpillar. Well a foodie friend of mine (who has not heard my plans) just sent me a blogpost to show me this picture:

Other very cute cakes can be seen here.

I doubt I can do the fondant but this was very close to what I was imagining so now I have a blue print!

See? Those were 3 very exciting things!

Man, I wish the weekends were three days long!  But I know that if they were I’d be wishing for four days.

Yesterday, while Shaun was mountain biking, Lucy and I went down to Richard and Elaina’s for breakfast and then to watch Elaina’s soccer game.  We had a blast!  Lucy LOVES balls and loved watching soccer!

She sat up the entire 90 minutes we were there!

I was going from 8 am (Shaun let me sleep in!) until 9 pm yesterday.  I literally did not stop all day.  It was an exhausting but good day.

Here’s today’s picture!

My two favorite people 🙂

Things are going really well and I’ve been really happy.  I have to say that the last 7 months have been  happiest of my life, they’ve been hard too but oh so happy.  I really don’t have much else to say right now.  🙂

We’ve had a really chill day and I don’t feel like we got anything done.  We went to breakfast this morning and then to our local toystore to get Lucy a light-up drum, ball, and teether.  She really doesn’t have many toys and Shaun decided she needed an interactive toy for sitting up.  She loves it:

We also did some shopping for us today.  Shaun got some much needed new shoes and I got the make-up that I’ve needed for over a week now.  It’s 6:30 and Lucy needs some dinner and then bed.  I plan to make green beans, peas, prunes, and blueberries tonight.

Here’s her daily picture:

Although this one is pretty cute:

This one too!

Can you tell I like the Eye-Fi?

We got the Eye-Fi installed last night.  It was doubtful for a bit whether it would work or not.  We got the card that has Geo-Tagging capabilities-Shaun really wanted this for his mountain biking pictures-and that card only comes in 4 GB.  Our camera shut down when the 4 GB card got put into it and we thought we were toast.  Then our camera said “Card Reader Error.” Well…dang.  Super techy husband to the rescue!  Shaun was able to find a firmware update for our camera that would allow it to take a 4 GB card.  He just saved the update to one of our other memory cards, stuck it in the camera and there you go-our camera now takes 4 GB cards!  Technology (and my husband) are cool!

Thus, I give you Lucy’s daily picture(s)!

Shaun thinks a daily picture is a great idea too so hopefully we can keep this up.

Last night I was walking home and this was parked in front of my house:

Sweet ride, eh?

Did anyone see The Office last night? Oh.My.God. It was ridiculously funny. Shaun and I laughed out loud at least 15 times. Between watching Survivor, The Office, and getting the Eye Fi all set up we didn’t get to bed until 11 last night-that’s late for this Mommy!

I had another nightmare filled night-boo.  If this doesn’t stop I’m going to schedule a visit with my therapist.  We’ll see how tonight goes.  I know that I’m really stressed at work and home life is crazy (just because taking care of Lucy and the house and my husband takes all my time) but I don’t feel like these two things should be causing these major anxiety dreams.

Speaking of home life being crazy, my awesome husband was super helpful this morning. Lucy woke up at 5:10 to eat and didn’t want to go back to sleep after I fed her. I brought her into bed with us to try and get her to fall back asleep and it worked for about 30 minutes but at 6 she wanted to be up.  Shaun got up with her and got her ready for the day.  He let me “sleep in” until 6:45.  He even got her bottles ready to go and put the bag on top of her “Daily Communication” paper that we have to fill out for daycare everyday.  He was then playing with her and had a little finger puppet on and the finger puppet was telling Lucy how she is lucky to have a Mommy that works so hard and does so much for her.  I’m getting all teary writing about it.  Seriously?  How sweet.  I really do have an awesome husband.  He knows just what to do to make me feel appreciated and loved.

The Weekend

It supposed to rain all weekend.  BOO.  I still need to go to Bare Essentials to get my make-up. That’s the one thing from my to do list for last weekend that didn’t get done since Lucy was sick.  Maybe I’ll go to the mall all by myself.  I think this will be a great weekend to finish our baby proofing.  She’s starting to get more and more mobile and inquisitive.  We need to change out the electric outlet covers and brace the furniture to the wall and then we’ll be done.

Yeah….Lucy was sitting in Shaun’s lap and pulled herself to a standing postion last night.  Before we know it, she’ll be doing that on EVERYTHING.